black barred rock chicken

[dplumley]

I bought some barred rock chickens and one is totally black, with a white tip on wing feather. Can anyone tell me what happened, as the other chicks turned out to be nicely barred rocks???

 

[Fred's Hens]

Where did you buy them? Hatchery? Feed store? Local person?

 

[dplumley]

I bought them from local southern states feed store, but lady there has no idea why one of barred rock is solid black!!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Please take no offense, but I will propose a couple of possibilities. First, SS, like Tractor Supply, merely re-sell hatchery chicks. Hatchery chicks are mass produced and the breeding isn't as important as the sheer numbers that can be sold at a profit. Thus, some chicks said to be this or that "breed" are very poor examples. Doesn't make them any less a chicken and indeed, they may be healthy, happy and great birds, but they are far, far from type or standard.

Secondly, feed stores are notorious for mixing up chicks. The staff has a lot to do and they aren't highly paid positions. Customers too pick up chicks and put them back into wrong bins. Between the hatchery, staff and other customers, all kinds of whacko things happen.

So, if the chick is healthy and growing, that's about it. Find the positive and move on. You might find the black chick to be an Australorp or Black Sex Link pullet and you'll be fine with it, as time goes on. It is also quite possible that it is indeed a poorly feathered Barred Rock, just doesn't have the correct barring.

Best regards,

 

[dplumley]

Hey, thanks for the reply, the chick now looks much like another breed to me, with black feet and all, and I am fine with that, its healthy and a larger chick than the others by far, so I think its an australacorp or what ever the large black chick is. Its a beautiful hen and very healthy and very friendly to me.... I think you are correct and if I ever purchase again, I will go directly to the hatchery.. The hen is part of 10 chickens I raised this spring and is now 10 wks old. There are 4 golden comets, they are beautiful, 3 white leghorns (slightly lighter breed and they are somewhat smaller) and then was 3 barred rocks, but I think the black one got mixed up as they had the large black chicks also. ha ha, b ut that ok. Thanks again