Breed and behavior question.

[ag8chick]

A little info.. purchased as babies back in September..Mixed flock. None are laying yet.

First question:
My white EE was walking around the coop with her tail feathers raised (pic below). Is there any particular reason for this? Or is she doing it just because? Lol

2nd:

The black hen ( im pretty positive she's a she) came from tractor supply. She is absolutely one of my favorites. Very curious and funny great personality. But Im confused on breed. She has the green on her black feathers. Plus a patch of brown by her ear area. I know she is mixed breed. But any idea on mixes? Just for fun!

3rd question:
We live in South Mississippi. So we do not have hard winters. It's 75 degrees today. Will my babies start laying this winter or will it be spring?

Thanks in advance!

 

[black_cat]

Black one looks like a black australorp, or black jersey giant. What color are the bottoms of her feet?
I think that your EE is fine, and just being silly.
They'll probably lay in spring.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Black one looks like a black australorp, or black jersey giant. What color are the bottoms of her feet?
I think that your EE is fine, and just being silly.
They'll probably lay in spring.

Agreed.

 

[Sycamore Hill Chicks]

Agreed.

Same here

 

[Acre4Me]

Black Chicken: Might be one of the "Egger" mixes sold for colored eggs. Neither a BJG nor a BA should have any color in their feathers like in the picture of your chicken. So, maybe an Olive egger as getting an olive colored egg requires genetics from a dark egg breed, like a Maran, and a blue egg breed, like a Legbar. A Black Copper Maran would have the copper in the neck feathers.


Egg laying. Has to do with amount of light they receive. Even blind chickens are impacted by light - there is a pineal gland in the head that senses light and whether increasing or decreasing. Light has been decreasing, but since Solstice has been increasing for the last week. The black one is looking pretty red and filled out, so she looks like she could begin to lay before too long.

Enjoy the new chickens and eggs!

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

Black Chicken: Might be one of the "Egger" mixes sold for colored eggs. Neither a BJG nor a BA should have any color in their feathers like in the picture of your chicken. So, maybe an Olive egger as getting an olive colored egg requires genetics from a dark egg breed, like a Maran, and a blue egg breed, like a Legbar. A Black Copper Maran would have the copper in the neck feathers.


Egg laying. Has to do with amount of light they receive. Even blind chickens are impacted by light - there is a pineal gland in the head that senses light and whether increasing or decreasing. Light has been decreasing, but since Solstice has been increasing for the last week. The black one is looking pretty red and filled out, so she looks like she could begin to lay before too long.

Enjoy the new chickens and eggs!

I agree. Check bottoms of feet color on the black one too

 

[lil_nyixx]

Black chicken is definitely a Black Australorp! My girl has the same exact sheer shine to her feathers at a certain angle

 

[Acre4Me]

Black chicken is definitely a Black Australorp! My girl has the same exact sheer shine to her feathers at a certain angle

Unlikely due to coloring in neck feathers. In addition, BA and BJG have dark brown eyes, whereas this black chicken has much lighter eyes. So, I looked up Black Copper Maran in the APA standards book and they have a "reddish-bay" colored eye - so a lighter eye color.

Overall, I think it is a mix and I think it is possibly a colored egger of some sort, such as maybe an olive egger. Irregardless, OP has to look forward to a long season of egg laying by this girl as she is likely to begin laying fairly soon.

 

[EmmaRainboe]

My white EE was walking around the coop with her tail feathers raised (pic below). Is there any particular reason for this? Or is she doing it just because? Lol

Your EE is just being a chicken

The black hen ( im pretty positive she's a she) came from tractor supply. She is absolutely one of my favorites. Very curious and funny great personality. But Im confused on breed. She has the green on her black feathers. Plus a patch of brown by her ear area. I know she is mixed breed. But any idea on mixes? Just for fun!

My first instinct was Black Australorp or BJG depending on the bottoms of the feet. However like @Acre4Me said that doesn't account for the leakage around the neck. Probably a mixed breed. Looks like she is mixed with BCM so is probably an olive egger.

Also, the green sheen is extremely common in black birds.

We live in South Mississippi. So we do not have hard winters. It's 75 degrees today. Will my babies start laying this winter or will it be spring?

Laying depends on light levels, not tempurature.

 

[ariri30]

Black Chicken: Might be one of the "Egger" mixes sold for colored eggs. Neither a BJG nor a BA should have any color in their feathers like in the picture of your chicken. So, maybe an Olive egger as getting an olive colored egg requires genetics from a dark egg breed, like a Maran, and a blue egg breed, like a Legbar. A Black Copper Maran would have the copper in the neck feathers.


Egg laying. Has to do with amount of light they receive. Even blind chickens are impacted by light - there is a pineal gland in the head that senses light and whether increasing or decreasing. Light has been decreasing, but since Solstice has been increasing for the last week. The black one is looking pretty red and filled out, so she looks like she could begin to lay before too long.

Enjoy the new chickens and eggs!

Agree on breeds