Help with breed (mixes) and sex for 16-week chicks!

[frontrangechick]

Pretty sure I have 3 pullets (no pointed saddle feathers yet, though I'm on the fence about the red bird), but any differing opinions on sex are of course welcome. They are around 16 weeks old.

I bought them from a farm that had the following breeds: Welsummer (pretty sure my red one is a mix of this and..?), RIR, Rhode Island White, Leghorn, Wyandotte, Easter Eggers, Colombian Rock, and Buff Orpingtons. Any guesses as to what mixes my birds are?

 

[frontrangechick]

The red one looks very roo-ish up there, but here is a close-up of the saddle. No pointed feathers yet! Thoughts?

 

[lydiagirl99]

The red one I'm not sure about but the other 2 look to be hens. The red one has a small comb and wattles but seems it might be getting some pointy, shiny feathers on its neck.

 

[lydiagirl99]

Could just be a slow developing Roo. Hens won't get the pointed neck feathers

 

[frontrangechick]

Could just be a slow developing Roo. Hens won't get the pointed neck feathers

That's what I was afraid of, but upon closer inspection, they are rounded neck feathers with pointed dark pigment.



Here is the Welsummer pullet image on the BYC breed page: http://cdn.backyardchickens.com/5/59/800x600px-LL-59f3da65_IMG_2417.jpeg . Think it's just a coloring thing? (crossing fingers)

 

[donrae]

they all look female.

the reddish bird has a lot of Welsummer, from those breeds. maybe Wellie x RIR.

The lightest bird has a rose comb, so a Wyandotte parent. Unless maybe the RIW were rose combed. She could be a rose combed RIW x colobmian Rock.

The other bird....could be a White x Red or Welsummer.

 

[frontrangechick]

they all look female.

the reddish bird has a lot of Welsummer, from those breeds. maybe Wellie x RIR.

The lightest bird has a rose comb, so a Wyandotte parent. Unless maybe the RIW were rose combed. She could be a rose combed RIW x colobmian Rock.

The other bird....could be a White x Red or Welsummer.

Thanks! That's a relief. I don't need any roos.

I was thinking my red bird might be Wellsummer x RIR, too. I've never had such motley mixes before. They're sort of fun just for backyard layers... it will be interesting to see what they look like full-grown! I won't be breeding them, and hopefully they'll be productive. I'll post new photos as they start laying.

 

[Cel45]

Pullets for sure if they are 16 wks.

 

[autumnlchick]

The red one is Definitely part RIR! I can see the diffrence in her from my hen at the neck coloring, but as for the shiny feathers at neck, my RIR hen has somewhat shiny/wet look at the neck also, when she was a teen, I thought she may be a slow roo, but she is all hen, and still shiny a bit at the neck, so if your hoping for a girl,hopefully you will have one dispite the shine ;-)

 

[drumstick diva]

agree with donrae