Help, what kind of chicken do I have?

[Angie16hearts]

Today is my girls first day free ranging in back yard. They seemed a bit nervous @ first. Stayed out for a bit then wanted back in coop. Dinner time rolled around and I brought them Some fresh fruit and veggies. Leaving the door to the coop a tiny bit open, I went to grab my other girls chick feed , since they are not old enought for treats I came out to my older girls free ranging on there own I guess they feel pretty comfortable? Is this normal ? Everything I've read seems to point to training them with a little fence attached to coop. Giving them a few more feet each time. Also should I be clipping wings? I don't want them paying a visit to the neighbors but am afraid of predators having a easy catch,

if they can't move fast enough. I'm new to all of this and really enjoy it! Wish I would have added these girls to our zoo earlier.

 

[Angie16hearts]

I love my RIR super sweet ! Loving not jumpy at all! They love to snuggle. Wondering if this is normal for this breed? We hold them everyday for about1-2 hours. Am I setting them up for predators ? Not being afraid ? Seems my older girls never liked the same amount of love as the reds.

 

[aleksilkie]

My guess would be, old english game bantam. Or if bigger than she appears I would say Welsummer. My guesses at least.

 

[DTchickens]

Easter Eggers would probably be closest to what they look like to me. They could be game crosses. The pea comb and leg colors though will rule out Old English, if they are any part of game I'd say probably American game crossed with something else- with age it may be easier to tell exactly what as some games mature late and change so much over the growing period.

As for the free ranging question: In all of the years I have had chickens, various types of games particularly though I did have/do have other breeds as well.. I have never trained the birds to get them accustomed to free ranging. After they get so old, I just typically let them out of their pen and they will usually run around throughout the day and go back to their pen at night. Some of the more wild-like birds may not go back to the pens but choose a tree to roost in- but this is a rare occurrence in my experience and most once they have been kept in a pen for a certain amount of time will always return to that spot.

Clipping the wings may be necessary in a close environment to neighbors as most of the breeds will fly over fences- RIR maybe not, but Easter Eggers, games, (etc) will. Even with clipped wings sometimes they may possibly fly out depending on how content they are with their area as well as how intelligent they are. I've seen games and Leghorns have clipped wings but still fly over fences or fly as high as they can then grab on to the fence and climb up it to get to the other side.

Clipped wings won't really slow the birds down any, it'll make it so they can't fly as well but they won't be any less fast- I've tried to catch clipped winged birds and they can be just as difficult as ones without having their clipped wings!

 

[Angie16hearts]

Easter Eggers would probably be closest to what they look like to me. They could be game crosses. The pea comb and leg colors though will rule out Old English, if they are any part of game I'd say probably American game crossed with something else- with age it may be easier to tell exactly what as some games mature late and change so much over the growing period. 

As for the free ranging question: In all of the years I have had chickens, various types of games particularly though I did have/do have other breeds as well.. I have never trained the birds to get them accustomed to free ranging. After they get so old, I just typically let them out of their pen and they will usually run around throughout the day and go back to their pen at night. Some of the more wild-like birds may not go back to the pens but choose a tree to roost in- but this is a rare occurrence in my experience and most once they have been kept in a pen for a certain amount of time will always return to that spot.

Clipping the wings may be necessary in a close environment to neighbors as most of the breeds will fly over fences- RIR maybe not, but Easter Eggers, games, (etc) will. Even with clipped wings sometimes they may possibly fly out depending on how content they are with their area as well as how intelligent they are. I've seen games and Leghorns have clipped wings but still fly over fences or fly as high as they can then grab on to the fence and climb up it to get to the other side. 

Clipped wings won't really slow the birds down any, it'll make it so they can't fly as well but they won't be any less fast- I've tried to catch clipped winged birds and they can be just as difficult as ones without having their clipped wings!   

 

[Angie16hearts]

Thank you DTchickens as you have given me great information! You seem very educated and experienced about chickens. I look forward to your information in the future. As I'm new to this and just love it! Girls are growing quick ! I find them very entertaining.

 

[Angie16hearts]

can anyone give me a guess on this lady? Her name is pepper. I have had her since she was a week old. I held her tons! But now she is the only chicken I have that will not come to me. She hates to be held! I can sit in my yard and have my other 4 eat right out of my hand including my Roo. She has barely any comb and it's a cream color.she

she is about 15-17 weeks old.thank you in advance

 

[Angie16hearts]

Not sure what your chicks are Angie, maybe just crosses; I can't answer yet as to whether they are pure American game, but I can say now confidently I believe that they are not pure if they are American Game. The cockerel for sure to me looks to have some type of heavy breed in him, can't say what though as of now. 

Right now, they resemble no breed (at least pure.) This may change with age though. If you got them from a feed store, most of the time they order from hatcheries and if you can figure out which hatchery it may help find out the breed by process of elimination. 


If you got them from someone.. It could be anything, pure or crossed. 

update maybe it's been long enough. I'm leaning on the pullet pepper to be a EE but not sure? Guess that's why I'm back. Sassy my Roo has become very pretty black with a purple , white, red on his wings almost in the shape of angel wings. Here is a update pic. I actually posted a new pic of pepper the pullet a few hours ago. The previous post. My camera doesn't do either one of them justice. So if you have a updated guess I would love to hear! As you gave me great information last time!

they are also about 15-17 weeks not sure exactly ?

 

[Angie16hearts]

this is our Roo sassy as a baby. We were told he would end up white and looked like a American game. The picture of the four chicks is sassy. Pepper and siblings we lost

I'm sorry for the picture overload! I have posted on this thread quite a bit I got some great advice as to what breed/ mutt they may be? I wanted to do a updated pictures to see if anyone has final thoughts to what mix? Pepper is the pullet. She was really sweet as a baby and now extremely skittish!! She has barely any comb and it's a cream color. I'm guessing EE with something else? Sassy I'm really confused on! He must be a few different breeds? His black feathers look purple in the sun. He also has red on his wings, in a really pretty angel like pattern. If anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated as they both are mysteries. I believe they are 3-4 months old . We are not sure how old they were when we got them. I got them from a guy who will not return my calls. Thank you in advance!

 

[okoutdoor84]

I just traded a chatty RIR for this hen. Not sure what she is. Can y'all help out?