Heavy Breed

[heby]

I gotta question. MY mom picked up 6 chicks from her local feed store for my kids for Easter. They called them Easter chicks because they were dyed different colors. However, when asked what breed they were, the lady could only tell her that they were heavy breed. They were actually locking up the doors when my mom got there but let her buy some since they were for kids. My question is, What is heavy breed? 4 of them have feather feet. I'm hoping she got pullets.

 

[3riverschick]

I gotta question. MY mom picked up 6 chicks from her local feed store for my kids for Easter. They called them Easter chicks because they were dyed different colors. However, when asked what breed they were, the lady could only tell her that they were heavy breed. They were actually locking up the doors when my mom got there but let her buy some since they were for kids. My question is, What is heavy breed? 4 of them have feather feet. I'm hoping she got pullets.

That's cute. They color the chicks by injecting a bit of vegetable dye into the shell while the egg is incubating. Then they put a tiny piece of tape over the hole in the egg. It colors the chicks. Doesn't hurt them. The color falls off when the chicks lose their chick down and the chicks willl grow in their normal breed colors. You'll have to wait until they feather out to get an idea of their breed.
Feathered feet could be several breeds, Brahmas, Cochins or Marans. Normal sized chickens are classed in two catagories. Light and Heavy. The Light breeds would be the Game Fowl or Leghorn type poultry. More lithe in structure. http://www.ashleyschickens.com/photos/undefined/234.JPG (Leghorns)
http://everything-poultry.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/oxfordpile.jpg (Old English Game fowl)

The Heavy breeds would be Sussex, Brahma, Wyandottes, Marans and such.
The rounder, more full-bodied poultry we often think of as typical "Old McDonald's Farm" birds.
http://www.ashleyschickens.com/photos/undefined/234.JPG (Brahmas come on many colors. This is the Dark Brahma)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Light_sussex_hen.jpg ( Sussex come in many colors. This is the Light Sussex)
http://buildachickencoopeasy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Wyandotte-Chicken.jpg
(Wyandottes come in many colors. I am pretty sure, not positive, this color is a Silver Laced Wyandotte)
http://www.stackschickenfarm.com/BlackMaranhen5.jpg (Marans come in a bunch of colors. This is the Black Marans. The French Marans have feathered legs and feet. The Marans from English lines do not. The American Poultry Association only recognizes the French type bird. They're the only ones which can be shown in APA shows.
Best,
Karen

 

[heby]

Thank you so very much. They are older than what I usually get. They already have white or light colored wings come in. The little orange on has blackish spots under the wings and belly.

 

[aggiemae]

Seeing live animals being sold as toys pretty much pisses me off. So just curious, do you plan to raise chicks or did they just show up as Easter surprises?

 

[Chucknbob]

Since they're dyed in the shell, I doubt they've been sexed. You can post pics in a few weeks and we an help you figure out the sex and breed.

 

[heby]

Seeing live animals being sold as toys pretty much pisses me off. So just curious, do you plan to raise chicks or did they just show up as Easter surprises?

Have some adult chickens and a few chicks but they are mainly all red and 2 yellow ones. I have 6 kids and they always fight over whose chick is whose so I wanted to get 6 different ones so they could easily tell them apart. However all of our stores sold out even tho one man told me that he would still have some for me at the end of the week. So my mom found these at a feed store in her town and even tho they weren't exactly what I wanted, they still made the kdis happy and that was the plan, I was planning on getting different real colors such as grey and black, ect. So yes we are raising them, not using them as toys.

 

[3riverschick]

Have some adult chickens and a few chicks but they are mainly all red and 2 yellow ones. I have 6 kids and they always fight over whose chick is whose so I wanted to get 6 different ones so they could easily tell them apart. However all of our stores sold out even tho one man told me that he would still have some for me at the end of the week. So my mom found these at a feed store in her town and even tho they weren't exactly what I wanted, they still made the kdis happy and that was the plan, I was planning on getting different real colors such as grey and black, ect. So yes we are raising them, not using them as toys.

Sounds like you have a good plan. I truly didn't think you bought them as toys. Dyeing them doesn't hurt the chicks. Maybe the colors are striking but they still grow up in their normal colors.
Enjoy your chicks!
Karen

 

[heby]

Thank you Karen. You have been very helpful.

 

[BrittBergh]

Ive never seen a chick dyed to be colorful before!! thats crazy! It really doesnt harm the baby? I can see where this leads to some people buying cute things and not knowing how to actually take care of them and all...that is kind of sad and sucky.

 

[heby]

I never knew they injected the egg. I just always thought they used food coloring to spray the chick. It was neat to find out. At least I know their colors will last a little longer than I thought. My kids are so happy with them. Now when my 3 yr old grabs his orange one, the others aren't yelling that he is picking up theirs. haha