Help I Inherited a flock and have no clue what they are

[shawn sr]

I need some help I.D.ing these chickens I inherited from my dad after my mom passed away and he didn’t want them any more. (they was always her thing not his) the only thing that he remembered about them was that they were #1 bought at a local farm & home store here on “one of those ‘chick days’ things.” and #2 they were supposed to be good “dual purpose” birds, and that they was all supposed to be the same breed. I can tell you that the eggs are brown, and the skin looks white (the birds are not all that tame and will not as of yet let me catch them. Also the photos don’t really show it well but the iridescent green that is on the roos tail fathers is also in the hens back fathers.





































Also although i started out taking the birds to honor my mom’s wishes that they be taken care of, (I have since grown to like the little gals a lot and even bought a couple new ones from the chick days this past weekend) I have been doing a lot of research and this Marek's disease has me scared. Though none of the birds show any issues. The land that I have my brand new coop/run built on has never had any chickens on it at all, though my neighbor has had some in the past less than 100 yds away from my coop. I am worried about bringing her flock into the new pin,since everywhere says once infected always infected, and bringing Marek's to my land or the reverse bringing them and the neighbor old flock having infected the land any help on how to tell if they have it/if the land has it would be VERY appreciated.

thank you.

 

[Wyandottes7]

The black hens look like Australorps, while the black hens with orange around the neck are Black Sex-Links. The rooster looks like a mixed breed.

 

[Indyshent]

Don't worry about Marek's until you get it. Lots of hatcheries inoculate for Marek's anyway.


What color eggs do they lay? Look like they might be gold birchen birds. If their legs are as white as they look like they might be, they're probably Orpingtons.

 

[shawn sr]

light brown eggs some lighter than others and the lighter ones have darker speckles on them

 

[Adeth Chicken]

Definitely australorps for the first ones. Great birds, and excellent layers. They warm up to you quickly. Give em some cabbage. Also the one with the red feathers looks like our Fireball, she is mixed with a rir, her eggs are even larger than the pure Australorps. So sorry for your loss.

 

[Adeth Chicken]

Here she is.. She makes sounds like a monkey.

 

[chickenlover292]

They are black australorps and the rooster I do not know what the rooster is. You have a very good start to a good laying flock

 

[Michael OShay]

The black hens look like Australorps, while the black hens with orange around the neck are Black Sex-Links. The rooster looks like a mixed breed.

I agree.

 

[Indyshent]

Nah, hens look more like black sex links than Australorps. I don't think any of those girls were solid black, and they had bright orange/yellow/red type eyes. Australorps have brown eyes--almost black eyes--and dark slate or black legs. No way are these girls purebred Australorps.

Knowing feed stores, chicks of another type may have been accidentally tossed in. Were all of these birds purchased at the same time and of the same supposed breed? How certain is the answer? How many generations/years had your mother owned the birds?

Given feed store heritage, another likely breed is Marans, which have become a fad bird and not bred to type in hatcheries (which is why you could have different shank colors and egg colors than type). Marans have clean and feather-legged strains, with the clean-legged strains having become highly commercialized in recent years. Marans--at least according to some people--are also supposed to have white legs, which your rooster appears to have.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/606040/black-birchen-marans-flock-for-sale
Here's some good pics of a boy who looks a lot like yours (he's a feather-legged Maran, but otherwise pretty darn close). Girls look more like black copper than silver birchen

 

[shawn sr]

Nah, hens look more like black sex links than Australorps. I don't think any of those girls were solid black, and they had bright orange/yellow/red type eyes. Australorps have brown eyes--almost black eyes--and dark slate or black legs. No way are these girls purebred Australorps.

Knowing feed stores, chicks of another type may have been accidentally tossed in. Were all of these birds purchased at the same time and of the same supposed breed? How certain is the answer? How many generations/years had your mother owned the birds? 

Given feed store heritage, another likely breed is Marans, which have become a fad bird and not bred to type in hatcheries (which is why you could have different shank colors and egg colors than type). Marans have clean and feather-legged strains, with the clean-legged strains having become highly commercialized in recent years. Marans--at least according to some people--are also supposed to have white legs, which your rooster appears to have.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/606040/black-birchen-marans-flock-for-sale
Here's some good pics of a boy who looks a lot like yours (he's a feather-legged Maran, but otherwise pretty darn close). Girls look more like black copper than silver birchen

He does look a lot like mine, so if they are B.C. Maran are those good layers? Are they nice? (I have 5 kids) etc. And most of all do they make good mommys?

Also yes they were all supposed to be the same breed. There just over a year and a half old. Also Idk if it makes a difference but that same iridescent green over black on the roos tail is on all the hens back feathers as well. And the roos do have the smallest hints of feathers on there legs but I just thought it was a mutation or I was seeing things.

Yes all the girls have at least a little bit of the orange color on there chest some have obviously more than others

And one last question (for now) IDK if any one noticed but there are 2 roos and I have about 7 girls. The roos do fight a little that I have seen, but not a lot, should I get rid of one and if so do I keep the one that's getting picked on (he let me pick him up today!!!!) or the dominant one that will give stronger offspring. And I know the answer is what do you want out of them" I want a good strong flock that I can get baby's from that is hand tame.