Hmmm… things aren’t lining up. Barred Rock, Cuckoo Marans, or Dominique?

[montana_chicks]

Hello there chicken experts! I have three 5 week old chickens I’m unsure about and would love to hear your thoughts…

Chickens #2 and #3 are supposed to be Cuckoo Marans (pullets)… or so they were labeled. I’m beginning to think they’re actually Dominiques. Their combs and leg color aren’t lining up with Cuckoo Marans. I’m also beginning to wonder if one of them is a roo.

Chicken #1 is supposed to be a Bared Rock (pullet). She may be a she, but she acts like a he.

Any insight you have to offer, I’d appreciate! I’m trying to get better at breed and gender identification.

(They were purchased from a local ranch supply store who gets their chicks from Murray McMurray)

 

[JedJackson]

I think you've got two Dominique pullets and one barred rock pullet, although there is the possibility that one is a black sex link cockerel. Hopefully not.

I'm going by coloring more than combs in this case because barred pullets are darker overall than barred cockerels.

Let's see what others have to say!

 

[NatJ]

Chickens #2 and #3 are supposed to be Cuckoo Marans (pullets)… or so they were labeled. I’m beginning to think they’re actually Dominiques. Their combs and leg color aren’t lining up with Cuckoo Marans. I’m also beginning to wonder if one of them is a roo.

You are correct that those combs are wrong for Marans.
They are rose combs, which would be correct for Dominiques.

Chicken #1 is supposed to be a Bared Rock (pullet). She may be a she, but she acts like a he.

I do not think that chick is a Barred Rock cockerel. Male Barred Rocks are lighter in color than the females (more white/less black.)

So I think that you might have a Barred Rock pullet.
Or a Black Sexlink/Black Star cockerel. Due to have the genes work out, males of that hybrid have the same darker barring pattern as females of the pure barred breeds.

As regards gender, I'm included to think you have three of a kind, because I don't see any of them having a comb that is much bigger and redder than the rest. Hopefully that means all pullets not all cockerels. Or it could just mean they are too young to be showing differences yet.

I think you've got two Dominique pullets and one barred rock pullet, although there is the possibility that one is a black sex link cockerel. Hopefully not.

I'm going by coloring more than combs in this case because barred pullets are darker overall than barred cockerels.

Let's see what others have to say!

We are obviously thinking along the same lines, but you typed faster than me

 

[montana_chicks]

I think you've got two Dominique pullets and one barred rock pullet, although there is the possibility that one is a black sex link cockerel. Hopefully not.

I'm going by coloring more than combs in this case because barred pullets are darker overall than barred cockerels.

Let's see what others have to say!

Thank you, very helpful!

 

[montana_chicks]

You are correct that those combs are wrong for Marans.
They are rose combs, which would be correct for Dominiques.


I do not think that chick is a Barred Rock cockerel. Male Barred Rocks are lighter in color than the females (more white/less black.)

So I think that you might have a Barred Rock pullet.
Or a Black Sexlink/Black Star cockerel. Due to have the genes work out, males of that hybrid have the same darker barring pattern as females of the pure barred breeds.

As regards gender, I'm included to think you have three of a kind, because I don't see any of them having a comb that is much bigger and redder than the rest. Hopefully that means all pullets not all cockerels. Or it could just mean they are too young to be showing differences yet.


We are obviously thinking along the same lines, but you typed faster than me

This is great information! I appreciate the time you took to answer.

 

[LuciferRoo]

I had 13 Rocks last spring and raised them from 3 day old chicks to fully grown.
That is the limit of my experience, but based on that, I do not think that #1 is a Barred Rock.
I really cannot put my finger on it but there is something about that chick that looks wrong.
However, I will defer to the experts, meanwhile I need to dig through the photos when mine were little.