Cackle Hatchery Bantams

[Lisa L]

First time ordering from Cackle Hatchery and I am so pleased! Ordered the 5 bantam pullet deal and was so pleasantly surprised to open the box to 7! They are so healthy and sturdy! Quick delivery, too. So.....any guesses to what I received? All are feather footed except the brown striped one and black with yellow cap on her head. I'm thinking the goldish ones are cochin reds?

 

[NatJ]

First time ordering from Cackle Hatchery and I am so pleased! Ordered the 5 bantam pullet deal and was so pleasantly surprised to open the box to 7! They are so healthy and sturdy! Quick delivery, too. So.....any guesses to what I received? All are feather footed except the brown striped one and black with yellow cap on her head. I'm thinking the goldish ones are cochin reds?

I assume this is what you ordered:
https://www.cacklehatchery.com/product/bantam-female-deal-5/

That page says the possible breeds are "Buff Brahma, Dominique, Barred Rock, Rhode Island Red, Crele Old English, Barred Cochin, Barred Old English Game, and/or Golden Laced Cochin"

Black with white on the head will grow up to be black with white barring. Since you say she has no feathers on her feet, and I can see in one photo that she has a single comb, she must be either a Barred Rock Bantam or a Barred Old English Game Bantam. They have different body shapes, so you should be able to tell which one as she grows. You may also be able to tell by looking at the soles of her feet: Barred Rock should have yellow soles, but I think Old English Game are supposed to have white soles. (If she grows up with body shape and foot color mis-matched, go by the body shape, because it's not rare for hatchery chickens to have foot color that is somewhat off from what it should be.)

I see one with chipmunk stripes: she should be a Crele Old English Game Bantam. That is probably the same one you called "brown striped" and said she has no feathers on the feet.

So that leaves 5 with feathered feet. They must be either Buff Brahma (pea comb), or Golden Laced Cochin (single comb) because all the other breeds on the list have either clean feet (Rhode Island Red bantam) or a very different color (Barred Cochin Bantam) or both.

I think the ones with dark backs and some dark markings on the head & sides of the face are more likely to be Golden Laced Cochins, and the lighter ones are more likely to be Buff Brahmas, but I could easily be wrong about that. I can't see comb type on them in the photos, but the comb and the feather colors/patterns should become much more obvious as they grow older. Hopefully they will become clear then.

I looked at what other breeds of bantams are sold by Cackle, that weren't on the list for that assortment, but it doesn't look like they sex the chicks for any of those other breeds or varieties. For example, the Golden Laced Cochin page has the option to buy male or female or unsexed, but the Red Cochin page and the buff Cochin page do not have that option. So I do not think you have any Red Cochins in this female-only bantam assortment.

 

[Lisa L]

Yes. That is precisely what I ordered. I looked at pics of the baby chicks that were listed, but didn't appear to match, but I'm certainly no expert at identifying chicks. You sound very knowledgeable so I hope your right because I would love some buff Brahmas. They're all so cute I guess it matters not what I end up with as long as they are healthy and happy. Thank you so much for your input.

 

[NatJ]

Yes. That is precisely what I ordered. I looked at pics of the baby chicks that were listed, but didn't appear to match, but I'm certainly no expert at identifying chicks.

I agree that the light ones don't look like any of the photos. But by process of elimination, I think there are only the two options for those chicks.

The real answer will come when they grow up enough to be obvious

 

[Lisa L]

Are you still thinking buff brahma?

 

[NatJ]

Are you still thinking buff brahma?
View attachment 3794676

I can't see the comb in that picture. Brahmas have pea combs, but Cochins have single combs. It certainly looks like one of the two.

Given that I don't see the black pattern that Brahmas usually have, I'm wondering if it is a Buff Cochin or a Red Cochin after all. Maybe the hatchery has found a way to sex them, but didn't update the website

 

[Lisa L]

 

[NatJ]

View attachment 3794701

Oh, it one of those bitty little combs that are hard to tell. I should have expected that at this age

I think that might be a pea comb (which would mean Brahma), but I'm not positive. The comb type will probably become more clear as the chick grows older.

 

[Lisa L]

Thanks a bunch for responding. It really doesn't matter what they are. I'll love them just the same.

 

[Lisa L]

Here's my little chick at six weeks. Pretty sure it's not a brahma. Still thinking maybe a red cochin? I'm also now wondering if she is a HE. What do you think.