Had This Chick Hatch Out of a White Egg Any Ideas??

[Hatcherguy86]

I hatched out a barnyard mix of eggs and got this chick out of one of the white eggs. The only white egg laying chickens on the farm are White Leghorns and the only rooster is a RIR. So in short any ideas what breed it is and how it happened? FYI she/he is about a week and a half old.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Determining accurate cross breeds in a barnyard mix are relatively impossible, but it doesn't look like it could be a RIR/Leghorn.

 

[BantamLover21]

If its only possible mother (being from a white egg) is a White Leghorn, and its only possible father (the only rooster) is a Rhode Island Red, then the only possibility is that it is a Rhode Island Red/Leghorn mix. The offspring of different breed parents isn't a true breed; it is a mixed breed.

 

[donrae]

If its only possible mother (being from a white egg) is a White Leghorn, and its only possible father (the only rooster) is a Rhode Island Red, then the only possibility is that it is a Rhode Island Red/Leghorn mix. The offspring of different breed parents isn't a true breed; it is a mixed breed.

Agree with this...not sure what you're asking if you know the only possible parents. Parents of two different breeds give mixed breed offspring.

 

[Hatcherguy86]

What I was interested in was how it got its color. The RIR (rooster) is straight RIR and not cross bred anywhere down the line (2) time fair champion. The White Leghorn (hen) is the 3rd generation leghorn at the farm from a pure bred line. Where does the Black come from??

 

[BenHogan]

I have seen mixed breed chicks demonstrate some amazing color changes as well as see colors show up that I cannot explain at all such as black showing up from a red parent.

 

[donrae]

Leghorns carry dominant white, which can cover a multitude of other colors. Crossing them usually results in a mostly white bird with flecks of color, but recessive genes can do weird things. You sound very positive on the parents, so it's got to be recessive genetics at play. My first thought, personally, was those are not the correct parents as I agree the color is unlikely.

 

[Kev]

What I was interested in was how it got its color. The RIR (rooster) is straight RIR and not cross bred anywhere down the line (2) time fair champion. The White Leghorn (hen) is the 3rd generation leghorn at the farm from a pure bred line. Where does the Black come from??

Bluntly put: this claim is made. Chick says otherwise.

Bottom line: white leghorns have dominant white. This chick does not have it.

At the very minimum, there is a white leghorn that is not pure for dominant white* or the egg did not come from alleged breeds.

* there are leghorns sold for the egg market that are either breed or color crosses. Color cross example would be California White- cross of California Gray over White.