Help identifying both sets of chicks, grey/red, 2ish weeks old

[Tomwaits1863]

I'm hoping someone can help identify the breed of both the grey/blue chicks and the red chicks. We got them from Farm and homes, our local TCS rival, the greys were labeled "Calico princesses" a quick search revealed that couldn't be the case. 1 dark swan, shes the only meanie. 2 is Penquin, she must be younger because she doesnt have nearly the same amount of feathers as the others. I dont have any other side body outside photos of her but i do have inside photos. 3 is Piccalo, shes very light colored. I notice a greenish tint on their chests and heads when having them in the warm sun for the first time. The reds were marked Rhode island reds. They didn't look red or solid enough to me, then all of sudden 1 of the 3 started getting feathers on her feet. Shes also got pinker legs with sprouting feathers down the outside toe, while the other reds have yellow clean legs (3rd picture). Google tells me RIR cannot have feathered legs lol. The 4th picture is a yellow clean legged Red, because she likes to stand still. Theyre supposed to be 2 weeks old, 1 weekish when we got them. I've been reading Like a mad woman for 4 days and looking at every chick picture I can find and I can't narrow down what they are. Any help would be great.

 

[NatJ]

The reds were marked Rhode island reds. They didn't look red or solid enough to me

Rhode Island Red chicks can have patterning somewhat like that when they are young, and they can change shades of red as they grow.

"Good" quality Rhode Island Reds (meaning, ones selected to do well in shows) will have a much darker red, probably even at this young age. At maturity they can look almost black.

But Rhode Island Reds from a hatchery can often have the red shade that you see in your chicks.

I would say, based just on the color & pattern, that yours have an equal chance of being Rhode Island Reds (as labeled), or New Hampshires (another red breed, usually a bit lighter shade than RIR), or Production Reds (derived from RIR and/or NH, with strong selection for good egg production while ignoring the shade of red).

But, still going just by color and pattern, yours also have a good chance of being some kind of Easter Egger (such as Starlight Green Egger from Hoovers Hatchery or Whiting True Green from McMurray Hatchery).

Or yours could possibly be some kind of Red Ranger or Calico Princess or one of the other hybrids that some hatcheries are producing lately.

So the color alone is not terribly informative, at least until they grow some more and you can see the adult shade and patterning.

then all of sudden 1 of the 3 started getting feathers on her feet. Shes also got pinker legs with sprouting feathers down the outside toe, while the other reds have yellow clean legs (3rd picture). Google tells me RIR cannot have feathered legs lol.

You are right about the feet: Rhode Island Reds are supposed to have clean yellow feet and lower legs.

Whatever else that chick is, it is not a Rhode Island Red. When talking about colors, I mentioned a bunch of other possible breeds: most of them have yellow legs, and almost all of them have clean (non-feathered) legs. Some of the mixed ones might have a chance of feathers on the legs.

I wonder if that one might be a Marans-mix? Some Marans have light feathering on the legs, and some Olive Eggers are a mix of Marans with other breeds (dark brown from the Marans parent plus a blue egg gene from the other parent can give a dark green egg that is called "olive.")

2 is Penquin, she must be younger because she doesnt have nearly the same amount of feathers as the others.

She might be the same age. Some chicks do grow their feathers slower than others.

I'm hoping someone can help identify the breed of both the grey/blue chicks and the red chicks. We got them from Farm and homes, our local TCS rival, the greys were labeled "Calico princesses" a quick search revealed that couldn't be the case.

The greys are definitely "blue." So they could be one or another of the hybrid layers with blue feathers that lay brown eggs (sold as Blue Star and Sapphire Gem and Blue Plymouth Rock and various other names.)

One other thought: you keep referring to them as "she." I assume that means they were labeled as pullets when you got them. But if the breed label is wrong, the sex label might be wrong as well-- so keep an eye out for big red combs appearing over the next 2 months or so. Females should have combs that are relatively small and pale in color until they are almost old enough to lay eggs (4 months and up). Males usually get bright red combs at a much younger age, often 6-10 weeks.

 

[Tomwaits1863]

Rhode Island Red chicks can have patterning somewhat like that when they are young, and they can change shades of red as they grow.

"Good" quality Rhode Island Reds (meaning, ones selected to do well in shows) will have a much darker red, probably even at this young age. At maturity they can look almost black.

But Rhode Island Reds from a hatchery can often have the red shade that you see in your chicks.

I would say, based just on the color & pattern, that yours have an equal chance of being Rhode Island Reds (as labeled), or New Hampshires (another red breed, usually a bit lighter shade than RIR), or Production Reds (derived from RIR and/or NH, with strong selection for good egg production while ignoring the shade of red).

But, still going just by color and pattern, yours also have a good chance of being some kind of Easter Egger (such as Starlight Green Egger from Hoovers Hatchery or Whiting True Green from McMurray Hatchery).

Or yours could possibly be some kind of Red Ranger or Calico Princess or one of the other hybrids that some hatcheries are producing lately.

So the color alone is not terribly informative, at least until they grow some more and you can see the adult shade and patterning.


You are right about the feet: Rhode Island Reds are supposed to have clean yellow feet and lower legs.

Whatever else that chick is, it is not a Rhode Island Red. When talking about colors, I mentioned a bunch of other possible breeds: most of them have yellow legs, and almost all of them have clean (non-feathered) legs. Some of the mixed ones might have a chance of feathers on the legs.

I wonder if that one might be a Marans-mix? Some Marans have light feathering on the legs, and some Olive Eggers are a mix of Marans with other breeds (dark brown from the Marans parent plus a blue egg gene from the other parent can give a dark green egg that is called "olive.")


She might be the same age. Some chicks do grow their feathers slower than others.


The greys are definitely "blue." So they could be one or another of the hybrid layers with blue feathers that lay brown eggs (sold as Blue Star and Sapphire Gem and Blue Plymouth Rock and various other names.)

One other thought: you keep referring to them as "she." I assume that means they were labeled as pullets when you got them. But if the breed label is wrong, the sex label might be wrong as well-- so keep an eye out for big red combs appearing over the next 2 months or so. Females should have combs that are relatively small and pale in color until they are almost old enough to lay eggs (4 months and up). Males usually get bright red combs at a much younger age, often 6-10 weeks.

Thank you! You narrowed it down for me much better than days of Google searches lol. Yes I'm sorry I forgot to mention they are all supposed to be female. I really hope that's the case, as I've been reading that chicks with the pattern of Dark swan (1) may end up being a male, barring they said, but I don't have a trained eye to really tell if that's the case with her. But I believe that was depending on the breed, so I'm first trying to figure that out, lol. Either way I love the chicks, they each have their own personalities, my curiosity over what they are won't cease though. My husband grabbed the blues because they looked so sweet and majestic he said, lol, looking at the breed was an afterthought. He said calico princess, I've never heard of them but googled them to know what to expect, and there wasn't a single blue one in sight lol. I even called them the next day and double checked, they just repeated what their label said. When I realized that was wrong I started looking a little side eyed at the reds, wondering what they really were. I thought there was something wrong with one of thems little feet and then it was clear just yesterday they were feathers. I can say I'm confident atleast the buff orpingtons were labeled correctly.

 

[NatJ]

Thank you! You narrowed it down for me much better than days of Google searches lol. Yes I'm sorry I forgot to mention they are all supposed to be female.

We can certainly hope

I know of at least one person who bought "female" chicks of one breed, and they turned out to be another breed but were indeed female. I know of others who ended up with right breed wrong sex, or wrong breed wrong sex. Of course there are some who get right breed, right sex (which has been my own experience more often than not.)

I really hope that's the case, as I've been reading that chicks with the pattern of Dark swan (1) may end up being a male, barring they said, but I don't have a trained eye to really tell if that's the case with her. But I believe that was depending on the breed, so I'm first trying to figure that out, lol.

That is a breed-specific thing, not universal.

There are a few male-only color patterns in chickens, and a few female-only ones, but none of your chicks have them.

There are some ways to create sexlink chicks (males hatch with one appearance, females hatch with a different appearance). But for each of those, it only works for a specific cross of parent types, and each of the colors can appear in both males and females under other circumstances.

Barring is white bars across the feathers. Sometimes it is more clear and obvious than other times, but I don't think I see it on Dark Swan (#1).

The barring gene also causes the chicks to have a light dot on top of their head when they hatch. I can't see the top of that chick's head in the photo, so I can't check that detail.

Crossing a barred hen with a not-barred rooster will give barred sons and not-barred daughters: one of those sexlinks I mentioned. But you can get barred males and females in other breeds, just like you can get male and females with no barring in different other breeds.

Some of the common blue hybrids are sexlinks, with the males having barring and the females not. But I don't think all of them are-- so I don't think we can tell for sure at this age. Once they are old enough to be obviously male or female, we may be able to tell in hindsight whether they would have been color-sexable, but at that point it doesn't matter

 

[Tomwaits1863]

We can certainly hope

I know of at least one person who bought "female" chicks of one breed, and they turned out to be another breed but were indeed female. I know of others who ended up with right breed wrong sex, or wrong breed wrong sex. Of course there are some who get right breed, right sex (which has been my own experience more often than not.)


That is a breed-specific thing, not universal.

There are a few male-only color patterns in chickens, and a few female-only ones, but none of your chicks have them.

There are some ways to create sexlink chicks (males hatch with one appearance, females hatch with a different appearance). But for each of those, it only works for a specific cross of parent types, and each of the colors can appear in both males and females under other circumstances.

Barring is white bars across the feathers. Sometimes it is more clear and obvious than other times, but I don't think I see it on Dark Swan (#1).

The barring gene also causes the chicks to have a light dot on top of their head when they hatch. I can't see the top of that chick's head in the photo, so I can't check that detail.

Crossing a barred hen with a not-barred rooster will give barred sons and not-barred daughters: one of those sexlinks I mentioned. But you can get barred males and females in other breeds, just like you can get male and females with no barring in different other breeds.

Some of the common blue hybrids are sexlinks, with the males having barring and the females not. But I don't think all of them are-- so I don't think we can tell for sure at this age. Once they are old enough to be obviously male or female, we may be able to tell in hindsight whether they would have been color-sexable, but at that point it doesn't matter

Right! It wouldn't be all that bad to have a rooster, I'd just not prefer it. Any chance the blues could be Blue Jersey giants? They had a bin of those, there, and when looking at the chicks of that breed they look similair. Not really spot on though. Also, does their temperament give any clues as to what they are? The buffs are so friendly. The blues are the least friendly and the reds seem to behave right in the middle. They don't mind being held but they don't seek you out. The blues freak for a good minute when you try to get them. The buffs won't let you stick your hand in their brooder without hopping on it lol. Seems like we've got a few of each personality. Two of the blues will let you hold them after a minute of resisting but the dark swan will not, she just screams her little head off and tries to get back to the others. Thanks for explaining what barring is! I see what looks like a black line on each feather, my mind is at ease in regards to her being male, she's either just a big butthead or a big baby lol

 

[NatJ]

Right! It wouldn't be all that bad to have a rooster, I'd just not prefer it.

But it could be a problem if they are all males, or even half of them. Hopefully that won't happen, but it's too early to know yet.

Any chance the blues could be Blue Jersey giants? They had a bin of those, there, and when looking at the chicks of that breed they look similair. Not really spot on though.

Yes, that is a possbility. Jersey Giants are supposed to have yellow soles on their feet. Blue Australorps would hvae white soles, and so would Blue Andalusians.

Any of the pure breeds that are "blue" will tend to produce a mix of black chicks, blue chicks, and splash chicks (splash is much lighter than blue.) Since all of yours are actually blue, that is why I guessed they are some kind of a hybrid. Breeding splash to black will give just blues, and is more common when making hybrids than it is when producing pure breed (although it can be done there too.)

Also, does their temperament give any clues as to what they are?

Maybe, but I don't know specific breed temperaments enough to really say. All the temperaments you describe can be normal for chickens, and temperaments can vary even within one breed.

Thanks for explaining what barring is! I see what looks like a black line on each feather, my mind is at ease in regards to her being male, she's either just a big butthead or a big baby lol

A black line running the long way of the feather is not barring, but I don't know what it is called. A black line around the edge of the feather is lacing, so it isn't barring either.

Barring is white lines that run crosswise across the feather. Of course that means they alternate with lines of black or other color, that also run across the feather. Sometimes chickens will have very crisp black and white stripes, other times they have fuzzy lighter/darker lines (but still going sideways across the feathers). Blue tends to make it a bit fuzzier, as compared with black, but I am fairly sure it would be visible if it was present.

 

[Tomwaits1863]

But it could be a problem if they are all males, or even half of them. Hopefully that won't happen, but it's too early to know yet.


Yes, that is a possbility. Jersey Giants are supposed to have yellow soles on their feet. Blue Australorps would hvae white soles, and so would Blue Andalusians.

Any of the pure breeds that are "blue" will tend to produce a mix of black chicks, blue chicks, and splash chicks (splash is much lighter than blue.) Since all of yours are actually blue, that is why I guessed they are some kind of a hybrid. Breeding splash to black will give just blues, and is more common when making hybrids than it is when producing pure breed (although it can be done there too.)


Maybe, but I don't know specific breed temperaments enough to really say. All the temperaments you describe can be normal for chickens, and temperaments can vary even within one breed.


A black line running the long way of the feather is not barring, but I don't know what it is called. A black line around the edge of the feather is lacing, so it isn't barring either.

Barring is white lines that run crosswise across the feather. Of course that means they alternate with lines of black or other color, that also run across the feather. Sometimes chickens will have very crisp black and white stripes, other times they have fuzzy lighter/darker lines (but still going sideways across the feathers). Blue tends to make it a bit fuzzier, as compared with black, but I am fairly sure it would be visible if it was present.

Thanks!! I was asking about the Jersey giants because when holding them in my hands I noticed how much bigger their feet are than the others, their legs are also much thicker than the others, I'm probably over obsessing at this point, my husband keeps telling me to not worry about it wait, he says whatever they are they're ours now & we'll love em no matter what. Lol patience isn't my strong suit. But yes many roosters would be a bummer! The black lines I mentioned look to be going sideways across the middle of each feather, but like you said it's blurry. Seems to get even more blurry the longer I stare The buff orpingtons seem to be growing dark dang near black feathers from their chests so at this point I think they're all mixed and not what they were sold as. It's kind of crazy they label them so willy nilly. I wanted to know what to expect with each particular breed at adult age but I guess it's a guessing game. Thanks for all of the info I really appreciate it

 

[NatJ]

The buff orpingtons seem to be growing dark dang near black feathers from their chests so at this point I think they're all mixed and not what they were sold as.

You could post photos of them too, and see if anyone here recognizes them. Some breeds are fairly easy to recognize at an early age, and some are not, but it's often worth a try.