Can you tell a mixed breed with ZERO info?

[satiglenn]

I have 5 chickies. 3 are 3 days old, 1 is 2 days old, and the fifth just hatched early this morning. My friend who I got them from, has no idea what kind of chickens she has. She got them from a flea market, and were told they were "game hens." One of which turned out to be a rooster. Her chickens don't all look the same, and the chicks are all different, too. Two yellows with a scattering of black spots, two blacks with little bits of white on them, and the brand-new chickie is white/yellow with a black stripe on each wing.

Is there any possible way to know, or even have an idea, of what breed(s) they may be? I'm pretty sure that it wasn't the same hen that laid all the eggs, either. There were two hens that took turns sitting on the whole clutch.

 

[satiglenn]

Bump.

Anybody?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Usually not when they are chicks. There are some people that can tell what breed or breeds may be in there when they feather out and get their adult plumage, sometimes. I can’t. I hatch mixed breeds and I’ve found after you cross mixed breeds few generations, you have a great deal of trouble telling which breeds are in there background, even if you know what some of those breeds originally were.

From what you describe, it sure sounds like they are a barnyard mix, often called mutts on here. I don’t know what your goals are for having chickens, but unless you are going to show them or have some reason to want a pure breed, a barnyard mix works as well as a pure breed.