Can You Tell the Mix in an EE?

[Mrs. K]

We have all been where you are: this is a fascinating hobby. Lots of aspects to it, in a year, start praying for a broody hen, nothing is more fun than a hen with chicks. She does all the work, the flock takes them in. However, there are two aspects to chicken math, adding and subtracting, if you don't do both, you get into terrible trouble.

This is a fun hobby.

MRs k

 

[RowanTheRed]

We have all been where you are: this is a fascinating hobby. Lots of aspects to it, in a year, start praying for a broody hen, nothing is more fun than a hen with chicks. She does all the work, the flock takes them in. However, there are two aspects to chicken math, adding and subtracting, if you don't do both, you get into terrible trouble.

This is a fun hobby.

MRs k

Oh, I can see that is very possible indeed! But sadly, I don't have acres to let them roam on (yet) so I am going to have to restrain myself as best as possible

 

[Lady of McCamley]

We'd need his full color pattern after complete growth to accurately attempt a designation, and mixed breeds follow their own patterns rather than established ones with names.

Chickens are described with one basic body color (primary) then secondary patterning color (pencilled, mottled, laced, etc.) Some patterns are so common they receive a name such as Columbian (white-silver bird with black markings at neck and tail tip, which is a dominant pattern) or barred (black and white barring, another dominant pattern). Wild type or partridge is another common color pattern. Patterns express differently in males and females too.

Right now, he is probably a predominately red bird with black lacing and markings, though not entirely neat and clean as he is a mixed breed so not following a clear pattern as breeds do.

I'm still getting my head wrapped around feather pattern genetics, but that is the simple basics to my understanding.

LofMc
http://kippenjungle.nl/basisEN.htm

 

[RowanTheRed]

We'd need his full color pattern after complete growth to accurately attempt a designation, and mixed breeds follow their own patterns rather than established ones with names.

Chickens are described with one basic body color (primary) then secondary patterning color (pencilled, mottled, laced, etc.) Some patterns are so common they receive a name such as Columbian (white-silver bird with black markings at neck and tail tip, which is a dominant pattern) or barred (black and white barring, another dominant pattern). Wild type or partridge is another common color pattern. Patterns express differently in males and females too.

Right now, he is probably a predominately red bird with black lacing and markings, though not entirely neat and clean as he is a mixed breed so not following a clear pattern as breeds do.

I'm still getting my head wrapped around feather pattern genetics, but that is the simple basics to my understanding.

LofMc
http://kippenjungle.nl/basisEN.htm

Thanks, that was a rather interesting bit of reading!

 

[countrysoul4]

I was told he was a she and that this is an auto sexing chick. meaning u can tell at birth if they are male or female. well that was a lie. the female chick i bought turned out to be a male. anyways, does anyone know what kind he is? i was told an olive egger, but what breed? if anyone knows would appreciate your input. also, i am trying to rehome him because we cant have a roo. he is the sweetest little guy too

 

[Lady of McCamley]

With that background, he looks to be a Cream Legbar mix with something dark laying like a Marans or more likely Welsummer or Barnevelder as the barring is clearly seen on red base rather than black (if BCM were used)....and in one photo I can see the beginning of the crest starting to form. My Cl/Barney offspring had crests too...the CL crest seems to be pretty dominant that first generation (haven't bred for 2nd yet).

And yes that would have been auto sexing...I have created sexable chicks by breeding Cream Legbar with my Barnevelder rooster. The females are chipmunk, with dark clear stripes and dark eye liners, the males are paler striped, stripe doesn't go from head to tail, and have a white head dot...which can be missed if you don't look closely as sometimes the dot is small and faint.

Cream Legbar mix olive egger rooster. What you can tell people to make him more valuable, is that he will highly likely carry the gene for blue eggs, meaning 50% of his offspring will lay blue or green (50% brown or white) depending upon the hens you place him over.

LofMc

 

[countrysoul4]

With that background, he looks to be a Cream Legbar mix with something dark laying like a Marans or more likely Welsummer or Barnevelder as the barring is clearly seen on red base rather than black (if BCM were used)....and in one photo I can see the beginning of the crest starting to form. My Cl/Barney offspring had crests too...the CL crest seems to be pretty dominant that first generation (haven't bred for 2nd yet).

And yes that would have been auto sexing...I have created sexable chicks by breeding Cream Legbar with my Barnevelder rooster. The females are chipmunk, with dark clear stripes and dark eye liners, the males are paler striped, stripe doesn't go from head to tail, and have a white head dot...which can be missed if you don't look closely as sometimes the dot is small and faint.

Cream Legbar mix olive egger rooster. What you can tell people to make him more valuable, is that he will highly likely carry the gene for blue eggs, meaning 50% of his offspring will lay blue or green (50% brown or white) depending upon the hens you place him over.

LofMc

oh wow thats a lot of info! thank u yes, i believe the legbar (as i hv another one that was a female and pure cream legbar. i believe he is legbar and welsummer. funny thing is, is that he had the chipmunk markings mark on head and eye liner, just like the other one i got and a tight crest but he turned out to b a boy. i really like that info in your last paragraph. i will put that info where i posted about him. thank u again this is a pic when he was smaller. he is the one at the end of line. other pic is of the female legbar. he looked more like a female than she did at birth

 

[Lady of McCamley]

At the end of the line in this photo?

Cream Legbar female left and Cream Legbar OE male right? If so (at risk of sounding stupid if I got this wrong) that would fit standard, though the male is not marked well.

From this photo, you can see the red base coming through on the OE mix male. (My Barney-Cream Legbar OE's have that same reddish gold base color too...the Welsummer would produce that as well).

You can also see that the chipmunk line breaks at the neck. It does not go down from the head, through the neck, down the back in a solid line as the female on the left does. I agree, the head dot is very nondescript....maybe more of a whisp at the crest of the head. (I had one like that which also turned out to be male).

You can also see the difference in the eye liner. The female is a very solid line drawn out like a true Egyptian princess. The male diffuses, though it has more eyeliner than it should.

I agree that is not a clear auto sexed male. The breeder should remove from breeding those CL's that are not producing clear barring foward.

LofMc

 

[countrysoul4]

At the end of the line in this photo?

Cream Legbar female left and Cream Legbar OE male right? If so (at risk of sounding stupid if I got this wrong) that would fit standard, though the male is not marked well.

From this photo, you can see the red base coming through on the OE mix male. (My Barney-Cream Legbar OE's have that same reddish gold base color too...the Welsummer would produce that as well).

You can also see that the chipmunk line breaks at the neck. It does not go down from the head, through the neck, down the back in a solid line as the female on the left does. I agree, the head dot is very nondescript....maybe more of a whisp at the crest of the head. (I had one like that which also turned out to be male).

You can also see the difference in the eye liner. The female is a very solid line drawn out like a true Egyptian princess. The male diffuses, though it has more eyeliner than it should.

I agree that is not a clear auto sexed male. The breeder should remove from breeding those CL's that are not producing clear barring foward.

LofMc

 

[countrysoul4]

yes he is at the end. and i agree she should remorve and actually she stated not too long ago that she was because this has happened a few times. i wish she had told me that before otherwise i would not have gotten him. i paid $45 for the two. and at first she told me she would take back and exchange if he was a roo. i told her yup indeed he is now and then she tells me she cant take him back now. and hasnt offered to reimburse me either. she is a breeder and a seller. she knew i was very new at this, now im feeling she knew what she was doing to get rid of the males. im looking at the pic of their wings (now i know alittle more lol) and by their feathers i think u can tell the female to the male. if look closely he doesnt hv a second row. top view in pics. he is at bottom right