Did you Know - Color of chicken legs?

[buc]

Did you know that the color of the laying hens legs can tell you how long she has been laying eggs?

 

[pipermark]

yes, for example , Production reds, Wyandottes have bright yellow legs (feed them corn and they will even be more yellow), as they begin to lay, they yellow will dull. By 2 years old thier leg color will be more like straw.

 

[silkiechicken]

Yeah, I thought the yellow change was bad on my brown egg layers... well, you should get a leghorn and see that change!!! Leg's the color of banannas and then bam! One year of laying has their legs the color of paper!!!

If they stop laying though, the color slowly comes back.

 

[Julie R]

well my babies are now where near ready to start laying eggs but have a question to what the change in the leg color will be for my americana's they have this wierd green colored leg and I also have a black dutch bantam she has black legs, so what colors should I look for when they get ready to lay? right now they are only around 2-3 months old.

Julie R

 

[silkiechicken]

Oh, the color only changes after they have been laying for a while. It will be a few months before you notice their legs turning a lighter green or a lighter blackish grey color.

 

[Blisschick]

Quote:
The greenish colored legs are termed "willow". It's a funny slate green color.

Birds with willow, slate, or black legs aren't as affected as those with yellow legs. The color on my Wyandottes has faded to nearly pink compared to the younger pullets that aren't laying yet, which are bright yellow, but the color in my darker legged breeds chickens doesn't appear any different.

I'm glad this was brought up, because I noticed the other day that my older girls' legs were pretty pale, and I was thinking maybe they weren't getting enough of something in their diet. Up until a few days ago, all my younger birds had been freeranging, so I thought maybe because they'd had access to grass that was why their legs were more yellow. I knew corn will brighten them up, so I was thinking of starting everyone on some extra scratch with their pellets. Now, I'm not real worried about it.

 

[crzy chkn ldy]

I need some help with a dilemma that I am having with two of my bantam chickens. When I got them I was told they were both hens. One has tan colored legs and the other has grey color legs.
Wondering if this is related to egg laying only or if it could be related to the sex of the chicken. I am sure one of them were laying approx a month after I got them but now I can't find the eggs.
My dilemma is they both crow! But one also cackles very loudly and strongly at times. Hoping someone can help me here. Thanks.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I need some help with a dilemma that I am having with two of my bantam chickens. When I got them I was told they were both hens. One has tan colored legs and the other has grey color legs.
Wondering if this is related to egg laying only or if it could be related to the sex of the chicken. I am sure one of them were laying approx a month after I got them but now I can't find the eggs.
My dilemma is they both crow! But one also cackles very loudly and strongly at times. Hoping someone can help me here. Thanks.

You can close them up in the coop and run for a couple of days or a week to see if they are still laying and put some fake eggs or golf balls in your nest boxes so they know where to lay.

If you can post pictures we might be able to tell if they are roo/hen. I have seen a hen crow but only once.

 

[crzy chkn ldy]

These are my chickens in question. The top one just started crowing a week ago while the bottom one has been crowing for over a month now but it also cackles strongly like a hen laying. The top one's legs are grey in color and the other one has more tan colored legs. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

These are my chickens in question. The top one just started crowing a week ago while the bottom one has been crowing for over a month now but it also cackles strongly like a hen laying. The top one's legs are grey in color and the other one has more tan colored legs. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks

Those are both cockerels. I see distict saddle feathers:
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Games/GameBantams/BRKOEGBantams2.html
scroll down to the bb red male picture, looks almost like them!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/276168/hello-and-welcome-to-the-oegb-thread
Here, you can ask these guys if indeed they are OEGBs as I have never had OEGBs and so really am not sure that is what they are.