Dutch chicken

[Learningstill]

Few more questions...
Does anyone have the Blue variety of Dutch? If so, could you post some photos here?

We were supposed to get 4 pullets and 2 cockerels; however, we are pretty sure we have 3 cockerels because two look really similar and they keep fighting! Any suggestions on what to do? We have never had cockerels before, so this is all new to us.

 

[Learningstill]

Here are the bunch we ended up with...

 

[JurassicBawk]

The two with large combs are obviously boys (lower white, top right brown,) but the one on the far left is looking suspicious to me. I just got 2 Dutch pullets this year when they were about 1 month old in late July, and one of mine just started laying 4 days ago and only got her comb/wattles in about 3 weeks before that. (Her sister is a dwarf and not fully developing, so I literally have experience with one chicken maturing and may be wrong.) If yours are more around 6 weeks old, the one on the far left looks to have more comb development than it should by that age for a female, and appears to have the rooster specific splotchy reddish coloration on the wings. I could be wrong or the pic could be a weird angle.

Good luck with them. When I got mine they were sold in trios, and I made sure they kept the rooster because I didn't want to deal with one and mostly just wanted pets. I'd say you probably need to separate yours into trios to keep those boys from fighting, especially if they already are. Not sure what to do if you've got a 3rd boy.

Here is my 6 month old, Ellie. Her ears are just now turning white, so she may have a little OEGB in her, but she came from a Mennonite farm and was told it's a pure Dutch family line. I'm not showing her so I don't really care either way.

First egg.

Dwarf sister, Lex. She's 6 months old and barely 10 ounces.

 

[Gray Farms]

Here are the bunch we ended up with...

You ended up with two pairs of light browns and a pair of splash.

 

[Learningstill]

The two with large combs are obviously boys (lower white, top right brown,) but the one on the far left is looking suspicious to me. I just got 2 Dutch pullets this year when they were about 1 month old in late July, and one of mine just started laying 4 days ago and only got her comb/wattles in about 3 weeks before that. (Her sister is a dwarf and not fully developing, so I literally have experience with one chicken maturing and may be wrong.) If yours are more around 6 weeks old, the one on the far left looks to have more comb development than it should by that age for a female, and appears to have the rooster specific splotchy reddish coloration on the wings. I could be wrong or the pic could be a weird angle.

Good luck with them. When I got mine they were sold in trios, and I made sure they kept the rooster because I didn't want to deal with one and mostly just wanted pets. I'd say you probably need to separate yours into trios to keep those boys from fighting, especially if they already are. Not sure what to do if you've got a 3rd boy.

Here is my 6 month old, Ellie. Her ears are just now turning white, so she may have a little OEGB in her, but she came from a Mennonite farm and was told it's a pure Dutch family line. I'm not showing her so I don't really care either way.
View attachment 1215372
View attachment 1215375

First egg. View attachment 1215373

Dwarf sister, Lex. She's 6 months old and barely 10 ounces.
View attachment 1215374

Awe, very cute.... Yay on the first egg!! What is OEGB?

 

[Learningstill]

You ended up with two pairs of light browns and a pair of splash.

Shucks on the other light brown being a roo The two light Brown Roos are the two who keep fighting. They have been okay today, but last night scared us a bit! We are not used to that at all!!
Are splash a recognized color? My kids show at fair and we can only bring APA recognized birds.... I sure hope so!! Thanks again for helping us gain knowledge. My kids and I are greatful!!

 

[JurassicBawk]

Awe, very cute.... Yay on the first egg!! What is OEGB?

Old English Game Bantam. The Dutch are a pure bantam, meaning there is no large size equivalent to them, whereas many other breeds have a large and a bantam/mini version. Old English Game birds come in standard and bantam, and were originally bred for cockfighting. Since purebred Dutch are hard to find, some hatcheries cross them with similar-looking Old English Game Bantams but still call them Dutch. I've been told the main way to tell is that the earlobes aren't pure white on mixes. I'm not showing (or fighting) mine, so I don't care either way, and I don't have roosters to worry about. I know some people think that birds with OEGB in them are more "fighty."

When I do a quick online search, splash doesn't show up for the Dutch breed standards, but they list a few colors and say "and others." Splash does show up on the OEGB sites as a common color. I'm just learning about the breeds since I got mine this year, but you might want to look into it more since you may not have pure Dutch. If you're happy with them as pets that's one thing, but if you are wanting to show them then it matters more of course.

Here are some links I've been looking at:

http://www.poultrysupply.com/poultry/breeds.html

https://www.strombergschickens.com/product/Blue-Dutch-Bantam-Chicks/Bantam-Chicken-Chicks

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/whats-the-difference-between-dutch-bantams-oegb.410198/

 

[Learningstill]

Old English Game Bantam. The Dutch are a pure bantam, meaning there is no large size equivalent to them, whereas many other breeds have a large and a bantam/mini version. Old English Game birds come in standard and bantam, and were originally bred for cockfighting. Since purebred Dutch are hard to find, some hatcheries cross them with similar-looking Old English Game Bantams but still call them Dutch. I've been told the main way to tell is that the earlobes aren't pure white on mixes. I'm not showing (or fighting) mine, so I don't care either way, and I don't have roosters to worry about. I know some people think that birds with OEGB in them are more "fighty."

When I do a quick online search, splash doesn't show up for the Dutch breed standards, but they list a few colors and say "and others." Splash does show up on the OEGB sites as a common color. I'm just learning about the breeds since I got mine this year, but you might want to look into it more since you may not have pure Dutch. If you're happy with them as pets that's one thing, but if you are wanting to show them then it matters more of course.

Here are some links I've been looking at:

http://www.poultrysupply.com/poultry/breeds.html

https://www.strombergschickens.com/product/Blue-Dutch-Bantam-Chicks/Bantam-Chicken-Chicks

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/whats-the-difference-between-dutch-bantams-oegb.410198/

I looked at the Strombergs link and it had a picture of chickens which look similar to the two white-ish colored chicks, but called them blue. It said if you breed two "blue" you get black, blue, and then splash.

So, does anyone know or where I can find out, what happens if you breed two light Browns, and a light brown and a blue (or splash if that is what they are)?

 

[Learningstill]

So as the chicks age, I am noticing some differences between the two light brown Roos. For example, one has less white on the ear lobes, but has longer looking tail feathers (he is a bit older as his comb is much more pronounced than the other).
Eventually, we are rehoming one of the boys and I am wondering which would be the better choice and what other characteristics should we consider?
Hope it is okay to post this type of question here?

 

[Gray Farms]

I suggest you check out the APA and/or ABA standard. You really need to wait until they are about 8-10 months old at least to pick the best to keep for a breeder. They need to molt a couple times and come into their mature form.