Guesses on Age and Types?

[elayne927]

An acquaintance found out his HOA is not chicken friendly and has passed along his little flock of 3 to us. All the former owner knew was that the largest bird wandered up to his house 2-3 months ago and they decided to keep it so he sent his kids to the feed store to "find it some friends." He had no clue what they bought, how old they were when he got them, or even exactly how long he'd had them. They are all very small in size as you'll see in the pictures (the suspected bantam cochin is about 1/2-2/3 the size of my smaller leghorn hens). Based on what I know about the breeds sold at most of the local feed stores, my best guess is that the largest is a bantam cochin hen (or some mix containing that). I suspect the brown one is some sort of Easter Egger since she resembles the Easter Egger hen we got as an adult (I'm hoping pullet based on the coloration and the shape of the neck and saddle feathers, but want to get the expertise of those who have had these before). My best guess on the tiny black is Australorp (or mix) cockerel. I'd love any insight on what we've got here and how old they might be.

 

[Alexandra33]

Thinking you have a Quail d'Anver, Black Old English Game bantam, and a Blue Cochin. All pullets, and beautiful.

As far as age, it's hard to tell. Could be anywhere from 6-7 months, to a year, or even slightly more.

~Alex

 

[Table4Six]

The bigger blue one with feathered legs is a bantam blue Cochin. Clean legged one with beard/muffs looks like a Belgian D'anver. Little black one appears to a an OEGB(old english game bantam) Exact age is impossible to determine, but they appear to be pullets getting ready to lay, judging by those bright red combs. Beautiful group of ladies.

 

[elayne927]

They're all pretty delighful so far. We'd built a 2nd coop late last year and had been planning to add to our flock this spring so the timing worked out great since they can have a ton of space to themselves. We've already learned the Cochin is a spitfire. One of the Wyandottes from our larger flock came over while the big girls were out foraging to harass them yesterday through the hardware mesh fence, and the Cochin chased her off.

I had been thinking the little black one was a cockerel because of those pointy neck feathers, but it'd be great if he was a she.

I know the Cochin has layed before (though she hasn't since we got her a few days ago) but that the other two "hadn't started to lay yet" according to the original owner. Based on what he described, the two littler ones can't be too old since he got them from a store that usually only has chicks of 1-4 weeks in age and he thought he'd had them 2-3 months. I wouldn't put a ton of faith in those times, but I'd suspect the odds of the 2 smaller ones being much older than the 3-5 months range isn't high. He was telling me earlier today that he'd originally had 3 little friends from the feed store bought for the cochin and one of them crowed a week or so ago (which is how the HOA got involved) and he'd had to get rid of it that day, which also suggested the 2 littler ones still being young. Not sure if any of that additional info is useful but passing it along just in case.

I'll have to call down to the local feed stores and see if any of them sell D'anvers or Old English Game bantams.

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

The brown one is a Quail D'anver Bantam.
The clean legged black one is a Black Dutch Bantam. (White earlobes)
The feather footed one is a Blue Cochin Standard Size.

Does the person you got the birds from know the date the kids bought them? Most chicks from freedstores are 1 week or less.

 

[elayne927]

The brown one is a Quail D'anver Bantam.
The clean legged black one is a Black Dutch Bantam. (White earlobes)
The feather footed one is a Blue Cochin Standard Size.

Does the person you got the birds from know the date the kids bought them? Most chicks from freedstores are 1 week or less.

The guy I got them from didn't remember exactly when he got them just that it had been something like a few months ago he thought. Although he didn't even know 100% which feed store his kids had gone to, the feed store I think he got them from (which is the closest one to his house) has in the past had chicks as old as 3-4 weeks old that I've seen but the ones they usually have when I'm in there are under 2 weeks old.

 

[Alexandra33]

She has white earlobes? How am I not seeing this? My eyes must need checked.


~Alex

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

She has white earlobes? How am I not seeing this? My eyes must need checked.
View attachment 1646000

~Alex

You know, that's interesting. They look red in that pic, but in the pic of them all three in the kennel, they look white.

 

[Alexandra33]

You know, that's interesting. They look red in that pic, but in the pic of them all three in the kennel, they look white.

True! Perhaps we need another picture to decide, if the OP can provide one.

~Alex

 

[drumstick diva]

x2 Crazy for chickens