Chicken auction chicks

[chickmom137]

A little over a month ago I got these chicks from a chicken auction. They did not know what they were. Now that they are a little older and their feather are coming out I thought someone might have an idea. They are feather-footed and it looks like they have fuzzy cheeks.at this point (which makes them so cute looking).

This is the Roo.

This is the hen.

What are they? Anyone?

Also, I have a Splash Orphington that has just started laying within the past week. I wanted her to hatch them if she would. She would have bred with a RIR (I have seen the deed). I read that you cannot tell if a brown egg is fertile until its 5th day. If I look and it does not look like it, is it still a good eating egg? I am a new chicken owner and do not know all the do's and don'ts. If I am wanting her to hatch a few - I would love to see the mixture - and also I would like to collect eggs, how long is too long for them to sit? I won't let them continue to collect in the nest if they will spoil.

Thank you for any information on the breed and egg stuff!

 

[donrae]

I believe your new birds are d'uccles.

I'm going to duck the incubation questions as I let the hens do that heavy lifting around here!

 

[chickmom137]

I believe you're dead on with the breed. I googled images and it looks like they are. Thanks for the answer to our chicken mystery!

Hate that you don't have answers to the eggs.

I would like to eat some, but I want to get some chicks first! lol

 

[Dewsetter]

I agree, I think they are D'uccles too.
Regarding your incubation questions, it depends on she'll thickness and coloration as to when you can see if they are fertile, I have been able to tell by day 3 with some of mine even if they are brown but then I have had BCM eggs that I have never been able to tell as they are so dark. I just had to leave them for the 21 days and keep my fingers crossed. If the eggs are partly incubated, even if its only for a few days then I wouldn't eat them. You hen needs to go broody before you introduce the eggs otherwise you would have to use an incubator. fertility rates will drop after 10 days post laying so you are better incubating them before 10 days for the best results. Hope this helps.

 

[Dewsetter]

Sorry the she'll was a typo! I meant shell! Lol

 

[chickmom137]

I am not sure if she is broody - I have yet to see her actually sitting on them. She lays them in the box, but that's it. The heat lamp I have in their coop it above the box and keeping them warm, so I guess eating them would be out of the question. I guess I will mark them and take any add'l eggs out from this point forth. I read that when they first start laying that they may not be broody - she is my first to lay an egg so I don't know how to tell that she is or will be. Can you help with that?

Also, thank you for responding!