Can you tell if a baby chick has barring?

[Slothinc]

I have 5 newly hatched Orpington chicks and they are all black with white/yellow bellies and wing tips. The dad I believe has at least one copy of the barring gene. Is there a way that I can tell if these babies will be barred or cuckoo or do I have to wait for them to feather out?

 

[The Moonshiner]

If they're barred they should have a yellow spot on top of their heads.

 

[Slothinc]

Thank you, at least a few of them do have a small yellow spot on the head. I will try to take a photo to post!

 

[Slothinc]

Okay three of the babies have small spots like this on the head - do you think these ones are barred?




One of the babies does not have a spot on the head at all



And one of the babies has much more irregular coloring on the head



Sorry the pics aren’t great!

 

[The Moonshiner]

You've got it correct