Ex-Battery Hen - any ideas on breed?

[Sablehaven]

Thank you... I’m so glad we did already! Just hope she integrates with the small flock we have already. I hope she will become more tame around us. She cowers when I go to stroke her and I really wonder if she has been abused but she can free range in our garden from here on

Ahh thank you, so that is a type of colouring (similar to golden birchen for example)?

Columbian is her lovely dark collar, yes all my brahma/orphington crosses have them.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

She could be a game mix. She’s most likely not an ex-battery hen, since they use specific breeds or crosses, such as production white leghorns or red sex links. Crested breeds and mixes of crested breeds aren’t usually known for their egg-laying abilities.

 

[Rachnicko]

She could be a game mix. She’s most likely not an ex-battery hen, since they use specific breeds or crosses, such as production white leghorns or red sex links. Crested breeds and mixes of crested breeds aren’t usually known for their egg-laying abilities.

I did wonder that myself - the egg laying of crested breeds
What is a game mix? Excuse my ignorance - are there examples of game breeds?

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

I did wonder that myself - the egg laying of crested breeds
What is a game mix? Excuse my ignorance - are there examples of game breeds?

American gamefowl, Shamo, asil, old English game, etc. If she is a game mix, I’m guessing it’s American game, since those can have small crests (they’re called toppy gamefowl).

 

[Rachnicko]

American gamefowl, Shamo, asil, old English game, etc. If she is a game mix, I’m guessing it’s American game, since those can have small crests (they’re called toppy gamefowl).

Wow thank you. I would never have thought of game but she does look similar to some toppy gamefowl from google! The grey legs seem to throw me a bit, but I’m not expert on chicken genes. We are in the UK, so I don’t know if our breed titles differ, but I can’t see many toppy gamefowl in the UK.

 

[Rachnicko]

Well today Suzie (the supposed ex-battery hen, who I’m thinking was probably not ex-battery) laid an egg!!! And to top off the mystery... it’s an olive coloured egg as seen in the middle of the photo below!

She has integrated into the flock really well... I think it helps that the rest of the flock are bantams so she hasn’t had to do much to hold her own. And she’s getting more tame, and doesn’t back away when I go to pet her now.

Does the coloured egg line up with anyone’s thoughts on breed? I’m definitely no expert where coloured eggs are concerned, but it was a lovely surprise!

 

[mviera101]

Nicely done! You rehoming chicken moma! She's a pretty gal whose grateful

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Well today Suzie (the supposed ex-battery hen, who I’m thinking was probably not ex-battery) laid an egg!!! And to top off the mystery... it’s an olive coloured egg as seen in the middle of the photo below!

She has integrated into the flock really well... I think it helps that the rest of the flock are bantams so she hasn’t had to do much to hold her own. And she’s getting more tame, and doesn’t back away when I go to pet her now.

Does the coloured egg line up with anyone’s thoughts on breed? I’m definitely no expert where coloured eggs are concerned, but it was a lovely surprise!
View attachment 2386949

Congratulations, you have an Olive Egger! Cream leg bar mix is still my guess. Would give eggs that color! Gorgeous!

 

[Xouie]

Awwwww... she’ll realize soon that you’re her guardian angel.

 

[ColtHandorf]

With the crest and what looks like lightly feathered feet, plus the olive egg, I'd say she's a Cream Crested Legbar x Black-tailed Buff, Buff, or Wheaton Marans. Since you are in the UK and I don't know how popular the CCL are, it's possible that she is also a Marans crossed to your Araucana, which are crested unlike ours in the States that are tufted.