Combos of BR. RIR and ?

[squirtsmomma]

We got 28 eggs from a farm that supposedly only has RIR and BR and combinations of the 2. All we wanted was to start chickens for laying eggs, no breeding down the road, but we're trying to figure out what we got and some of these we think we've sexed already because of the coloring. The following is the majority of the 22 we hatched 2 days ago.

We have black chicks with and without white bellies, with and without white spots on the head, some also have black feet and some of those have feathers all down the legs. We didn't understand why some have feathers on the legs.

We also have many Reddish chicks, many with white/yellow bellies and on day 2 white showing up under their wings, all with pink feet, a few with small traces of black showing up on their backs on day 2.

We have 1 that is yellow and very light all over.

We have a few stripey ones that are basically brownish/red with chipmunk like stripes going down their backs of cream,black and brown. (one pictured)

Any thoughts on any of them would be appreciated. My husband and I had chickens when we were children, but none of these breeds.

 

[donrae]

they apparently had more breeds than Reds and barred Rocks. Neither of those breeds have feathered legs, and that's a dominant trait.

Your black chicks with a white head spot are either pure barred rocks or black sex link cockerels. Only time will tell on those.

The solid black chicks may well be black sex link pullets. Hard to say for sure without knowing exactly what breeds are involved.

 

[junebuggena]

No way should those two breeds produce chicks with feathered legs. That farm probably had more breeds then what they told you.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

x3

RIR vs. RIR would give you reddish chicks, varying shades, often with a FAINT chipmunk stripe...but nowhere near as strong a chipmunk as you are showing.

RIR roo over BR hen would give you Black Sex Links....boys black with white head dot to become a barred bird, girls all black to become an all black hen with red bleed through.

BR roo over RIR hen would give you black chicks with white head dots, both genders, to be barred birds with some possible red bleed through here and there.

BR vs. BR would give you BR, barred birds, both genders.

So the super light chicks, the chicks with feathered legs, and the strong chipmunks did not come from any of the parentage above.

They definitely have more breeds that BR and RIR.

LofMc

 

[and-roo]

No way should those two breeds produce chicks with feathered legs. That farm probably had more breeds then what they told you.

I agree. And that also goes for the chicks with chipmunk stripes and the yellow one. Maybe they meant the rosters they had were RIR and BRs and they had other hens or the hens wer RIR and BRs and other breeds of roosters... Idk, but those definitely aren't they only two breeds you're dealing with. What types of combs do they have? And which ones have the feathered feet?

 

[squirtsmomma]

they apparently had more breeds than Reds and barred Rocks. Neither of those breeds have feathered legs, and that's a dominant trait.

Your black chicks with a white head spot are either pure barred rocks or black sex link cockerels. Only time will tell on those.

The solid black chicks may well be black sex link pullets. Hard to say for sure without knowing exactly what breeds are involved.

No way should those two breeds produce chicks with feathered legs. That farm probably had more breeds then what they told you.

x3

RIR vs. RIR would give you reddish chicks, varying shades, often with a FAINT chipmunk stripe...but nowhere near as strong a chipmunk as you are showing.

RIR roo over BR hen would give you Black Sex Links....boys black with white head dot to become a barred bird, girls all black to become an all black hen with red bleed through.

BR roo over RIR hen would give you black chicks with white head dots, both genders, to be barred birds with some possible red bleed through here and there.

BR vs. BR would give you BR, barred birds, both genders.

So the super light chicks, the chicks with feathered legs, and the strong chipmunks did not come from any of the parentage above.

They definitely have more breeds that BR and RIR.

LofMc

I agree. And that also goes for the chicks with chipmunk stripes and the yellow one. Maybe they meant the rosters they had were RIR and BRs and they had other hens or the hens wer RIR and BRs and other breeds of roosters... Idk, but those definitely aren't they only two breeds you're dealing with. What types of combs do they have? And which ones have the feathered feet?

Thanks everyone. Thats exactly what my husband I were saying the first night. When I saw one black one with feathered feet, I called my husband and we counted three. He said I should try to send the lady a message and ask her if they had any silkies running around the place or anything else. The other research and advice we've gotten points that the chipmunk striped ones may be rhodebar pullets and some of the light tan ones like the one pictured might be roos of the same type. Not sure if this sounds right. I guess as time goes on we'll find out more. I think the real light one is going to be all white which doesn't tell us much of what it is.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

they apparently had more breeds than Reds and barred Rocks. Neither of those breeds have feathered legs, and that's a dominant trait.

Your black chicks with a white head spot are either pure barred rocks or black sex link cockerels. Only time will tell on those.

The solid black chicks may well be black sex link pullets. Hard to say for sure without knowing exactly what breeds are involved.

x2

 

[donrae]

True Rhodebars are still fairly rare in the US, and I'd think the farm would advertise them to boost prices. Lots of breeds start out with chipmunk stripes, it's kind of the default color for baby chicks that have red or brown base colors. Especially when you mix breeds or varieties.

The most common feather legged breeds are Marans (some of them, not all), Cochins, Faverolles, Brahmas and silkies. Silkie mixes should also have dark skin, five toes, funky combs and crests.
Faverolles mixes would have white skin, five toes, beards. Marans should have white skin. Cochins have yellow skin. Brahmas have yellow skin and pea combs.

I think you'll just have to grow the chicks out. They'll be barnyard mix regardless, but probably good layers of brown eggs and the cockerels should make decent table birds.

 

[squirtsmomma]

Thanks for the info about the rhodebars. Do you know if the striping showing in any breed is more indicative of the possibility of it being a hen? Just wondering.

Also,
Quote: is really very helpful since we only know what we've seen at our uncle's place where he raises different types of chickens. Our feathered ones have dark feet, but only 4 toes and much smaller heads than the rest of the group.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I agree with Donrae that it would be a long shot for you to have Rhodebars...girls should be a dark chipmunk while boys brownish with a head dot. Wheaten is considered a cullable flaw. They generally are not part of birds running around in a barn yard (although they are running around in mine). Your chicks do not look like Rhodebars to me. You can see mine below. I did have several Wheaten in an early project from a breeder.

Chipmunk generally is both genders however some studies show three barring colors with continuous strripe from head to tail is indicative of female in wild type while two color stripe with neck gap male.

Many chicks revert to wild type when you get barnyard mixes of mixes making it really hard to determine parentage...think Heinz 57 dog...often the most you can say is it is a wee brown dog.