Chocolate Orpington?

[Tonyroo]

I've never seen chicks like that before. There strange looking.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Hey, someone in a fb group just said they are not pure breed bc of the color of the feet. So what in the world do I have here

Rule number one dont take advise from anyone on a fb group lol chocolates dont have white legs my wyandottes dont have yellow doesnt mean there not pure

 

[NatJ]

I posted about a week ago concerned these may not be splash or chocolate Orpington. I have a lavender and she had feathers by this time. These are suppose to be about 6 weeks. To me, they look very odd, not feathering much, long bodies and necks. This person also sells turkens. Does anyone think these look so very odd??

I think they have the slow feathering gene. That can cause chicks to look nearly naked at some points, but they eventually grow their feathers and are fine. But until then, they can look very odd indeed, as the chick outgrows its down but doesn't grow feathers very fast.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...vs-fast-feathering-genetic-questions.1088977/
Here is a thread with photos of chicks at age 3.5 weeks, with several different feathering speeds.

I do not think the breeder's turkens had anything to do with the appearance of these chicks.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Rule number one dont take advise from anyone on a fb group lol chocolates dont have white legs my wyandottes dont have yellow doesnt mean there not pure

Wyandottes should have yellow legs.

 

[Shely514]

I think they have the slow feathering gene. That can cause chicks to look nearly naked at some points, but they eventually grow their feathers and are fine. But until then, they can look very odd indeed, as the chick outgrows its down but doesn't grow feathers very fast.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...vs-fast-feathering-genetic-questions.1088977/
Here is a thread with photos of chicks at age 3.5 weeks, with several different feathering speeds.

I do not think the breeder's turkens had anything to do with the appearance of these chicks.

Thank you so much! It will be interesting to see them grow and change!

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

They look like Chocolate Orps to me. Are they English or not hatchery stock? That leads to them being slower to feather

 

[Shely514]

They look like Chocolate Orps to me. Are they English or not hatchery stock? That leads to them being slower to feather

Honestly I do not know. We bought them at the local chicken swap.

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

Honestly I do not know. We bought them at the local chicken swap.

I wouldn't worry too much about the feathering. I bet they're English but we'll see as they mature! My Black English Orpingtons were very slow to feather even though I fed them gamebird starter for higher protein. On this same food I even had a Brahma who was still had bald patches on him at 10 weeks Some birds are just genetically slow to feather and it seems to typically be the birds that grow a bit larger. They put all their energy into bulking up and building their frame that feathers just come in later

 

[ColtHandorf]

@ColtHandorf , need your input. I'm stumped.

They are Chocolate Orpingtons. It's hot. They don't feather out well when it's hot. One of the many reasons I hate raising them over the summer. I prefer fall babies. Last year I had a whole flock of little chocolate t-rexes running around. They'll be fine. Probably won't look good until several months from now. The protein is not the issue. Nor is the fear of Turken heritage. It's the heat. Make sure they aren't on heat either.

 

[Shely514]

I wouldn't worry too much about the feathering. I bet they're English but we'll see as they mature! My Black English Orpingtons were very slow to feather even though I fed them gamebird starter for higher protein. On this same food I even had a Brahma who was still had bald patches on him at 10 weeks Some birds are just genetically slow to feather and it seems to typically be the birds that grow a bit larger. They put all their energy into bulking up and building their frame that feathers just come in later

Thank you! I’ll post updates in a couple of weeks!