Help me ID my mystery pullet!

[micknapp]

Hiiii!!
I have waited and waited and waited to post this so I could provide as much info as possible!! this is Lady Gray-

and I have no idea what her breed is. Snagged her from a mixed bin at a feed store at the beginning of this year. By far my most independent bird & an excellent forager. She’s about the same size as my standard cochin (maybe even heavier... she’s a chunk). She’s got clean, black legs. Lays cream-pinkish medium sized eggs, and started laying around 7 months. Attached are more pics of her!

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Hatchery Blue Wyandotte.

 

[AllenK RGV]

My vote is a door-bell. What a stunner.

 

[Gray Farms]

Blue Wyandotte. Legs should be yellow but hatchery Blue Wyandottes almost never are.

 

[micknapp]

Blue Wyandotte. Legs should be yellow but hatchery Blue Wyandottes almost never are.

interesting! do you know why that is?

 

[TheOddOneOut]

interesting! do you know why that is?

Because they're poor quality. Hatcheries focus on quantity.

 

[AllenK RGV]

My hatchery chicks turn out great if I want to spend crazy money I would get a breeder line. The eggs are just as good. Also the neighborhood dogs would still kill them if they go outside of the fenceline.

 

[Gray Farms]

Because they're poor quality. Hatcheries focus on quantity.

Exactly. 100%

 

[Gray Farms]

interesting! do you know why that is?

@TheOddOneOut hit the nail on the head. Hatcherys focus on quantity not quality. Most of them anyhow. Some do try to improve their stock but not many.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

interesting! do you know why that is?

Because breeding qualities like that are especially challenging as the slate or whatever pigment that is.. competes with the yellow in the shanks on certain varieties.. blue being one of them.. that is tougher to breed to standard of perfection.

Even those of us who DO breed specifically for high quality SOP and NOT for quantity.. it doesn't matter how many you hatch.. only 1- 3%.. of offspring will actually be high quality. That only 1-3 out of every 100 birds I hatch and raise actually being top birds.. As a small timer.. I often settle for keeping about 10%.. to meet my goals.

I do agree though.. lovely Blue Wyandotte!