Dark grey comb and wattle...what breeds?

[StephensonC]

Could someone maybe give me a list of breeds that can have dark grey combs and wattles at 12 weeks old? Thank you!!

 

[sunflour]

I thought all chickens had red combs and wattles?

 

[Pyxis]

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I thought all chickens had red combs and wattles?

Nope! See my cemani hens for example:

The roosters of this breed also have large, all black combs. They're really rare though, so that's probably not your answer. Most fibromelanistic breeds will have gray or purple combs at that age. For example silkies are one of the most common ones. Even silkie mixes have black or blue skin sometimes.

Do you have pictures of your birds? That would be the biggest help in identifying them

 

[StephensonC]

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Nope! See my cemani hens for example:






The roosters of this breed also have large, all black combs. They're really rare though, so that's probably not your answer. Most fibromelanistic breeds will have gray or purple combs at that age. For example silkies are one of the most common ones. Even silkie mixes have black or blue skin sometimes.

Do you have pictures of your birds? That would be the biggest help in identifying them

Yes, I will post one tomorrow. It's dark here right now. Thanks

 

[sunflour]

Wow, still learning every day.

 

[BantamLover21]

Some breeds that I can think of with dark combs and wattles are Sillkies, Ayam Cemani, Sumatras, and Sebrights (to a certain extent).

 

[Wyandottes7]

The above posters have given you a good list of breeds with darker faces. In general, most black breeds will have slightly darker skin, especially when they're young.

 

[Michael OShay]

Some breeds that I can think of with dark combs and wattles are Sillkies, Ayam Cemani, Sumatras, and Sebrights (to a certain extent).

BantamLover21 has provided you a very nice list of breeds with dark combs and wattles. Do you have a chicken with a dark comb and wattles?

 

[StephensonC]

BantamLover21 has provided you a very nice list of breeds with dark combs and wattles. Do you have a chicken with a dark comb and wattles?

Yes, I got one today. The couple that I purchased from guaranteed that she is a 12 week old Lavender Orpington. Everything is consistent except for the comb and wattles. I will post pics tomorrow. Thanks everyone for your replies. You have definitely gave me some helpful info and provided me with an excellent starting point.

 

[Kev]

sounds like the gypsy face trait. It darkens the face only, no effect on body skin otherwise. Different from the whole body dark skin as on cemani or silkies.

Normally roosters lose the darkness and turn bright red when mature. Some hens may keep it, some don't.

Only sumatras are a breed with a standard calling for it. Other than that it's more or less random and usually on black, mostly black chickens of any breed/mix but it can show on a few other colors such as lavenders.