I’m the only one like me!

[canne50]

Sounds like fun!
But I see why you don't know what color eggs IT lays!


Pea comb and rose comb are caused by different genes. One cannot turn into the other.

But obviously her comb did look like one, and later look like the other, which leaves us not knowing for sure what comb type she has (which means it's not very helpful for sorting out her breed.)


I am sure IT is not a male Sumatra. The males have extra-long tails, but the females do not, and neither does IT. So female Sumatra might be a possibility.

Females of any breed can grow spurs, although they are more common in some breeds than others.


Your chicken looks like a splash, but splash chicks are usually pretty light in color, so that is another puzzle about IT.


You might be able to tell if IT is laying by checking the vent & pubic bones.

There's an article here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

The basic idea is that a chicken who is not laying has a small vent that looks dry and puckered, with the tips of the pubic bones right under the vent and close together (they feel like two little bumps.) A laying hen has a larger vent that looks moist and stretchy (so an egg can come out), and the tips of the pubic bones are much further apart and also further below the vent. Of course a chicken that is not laying could be a rooster, a chick, or a hen that is not laying for some reason (broody, molting, taking the winter off). But any chicken that IS laying must be an adult female

I will do the vent and pubic bone inspection today. Thank you. I do remember vaguely about that method for sexing.
I did not know in all my years of experience that hen could develop spurs, too. It must have something to do with the breeds for sure.
IT is experiencing ITS first molt, too. Last fall they were all still chicks.
Thank you once again, Dear NatJ for your informative, well voiced reply.
Will update with findings…

 

[NatJ]

I will do the vent and pubic bone inspection today. Thank you. I do remember vaguely about that method for sexing.

Of course, it only sort-of works for sexing. You can tell some females for sure (because only females lay eggs), but you cannot tell a non-laying female from a male

I did not know in all my years of experience that hen could develop spurs, too. It must have something to do with the breeds for sure.

I think it's more common in the slender breeds that lay white eggs, and less common in the heavy breeds that lay brown eggs, but it can occur in any hen.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

What color eggs do you get?
And what other kinds of hens do you have?

We might be able to figure out enough about her egg color to help identify her breed.



Their Splash Sumatra looks a bit like her, but your hen has very white earlobes while the Sumatra in the photo has very red earlobes, so maybe not.

Your hen's comb has me puzzled. I can't decide whether it's a pea comb, a rose comb, or a single comb that is all crinkled up. I usually pay a lot of attention to combs when trying to identify chicken breeds, but the comb of yours has me completely stumped!

They do have the same color legs and appear to be about the same build, but IT now has spurs, a large rose comb, doesn’t and never has crowed at over one year old. None of my chicks in that batch were white like that one.
Who knows??? Maybe IT is a rare throwback from all the crossbreeding that’s going on at hatcheries???
I’ll let IT be whatever IT wants to be and in the spring I’ll put IT in ITS own pen to see if IT lays eggs or not and if so, what color, too.
Thanks for all the fun folks! I’ll update you all when I learn more.

She has a pea comb.

 

[canne50]

Well, finally! I got ti it.
Her vent is unremarkable. The public bones are only one finger width apart- about an inch.
Her supposed 'pea' comb is a full comb which folds forward. (Pics)

 

[canne50]

No eggs...
No teeth
What are you IT?

 

[NatJ]

Her vent is unremarkable. The public bones are only one finger width apart- about an inch.

So she's not laying, but at least now you know that.

Her supposed 'pea' comb is a full comb which folds forward. (Pics)

With the white earlobes and apparently a single comb, I'm thinking maybe Splash Andalusian (usually sold as "Blue Andalusians," but it's common for the blue ones to also produce black offspring and splash offspring.)

I think the Mediterranean breeds (including Andalusians) are more likely to have spurred females, too.

Andalusians are supposed to lay white eggs, so if she starts laying brown or blue or green that will prove my guess to be completely wrong

 

[canne50]

So she's not laying, but at least now you know that.


With the white earlobes and apparently a single comb, I'm thinking maybe Splash Andalusian (usually sold as "Blue Andalusians," but it's common for the blue ones to also produce black offspring and splash offspring.)

I think the Mediterranean breeds (including Andalusians) are more likely to have spurred females, too.

Andalusians are supposed to lay white eggs, so if she starts laying brown or blue or green that will prove my guess to be completely wrong

Thank you. Now I'm closer to knowing.
I'll wait until next year and sequester her for eggs, then.

 

[Jory]

I'm going to say a Silver Spangled Hamburg.

 

[canne50]

So she's not laying, but at least now you know that.


With the white earlobes and apparently a single comb, I'm thinking maybe Splash Andalusian (usually sold as "Blue Andalusians," but it's common for the blue ones to also produce black offspring and splash offspring.)

I think the Mediterranean breeds (including Andalusians) are more likely to have spurred females, too.

Andalusians are supposed to lay white eggs, so if she starts laying brown or blue or green that will prove my guess to be completely wrong

From reading up on their genetics a little, it seems IT is most likely the off spring of blue Andalusians. She is a very slender bird, which is not the chicken with I am most familiar. I usually choose a heavier breed.
I’ll probably not post again until IT lays an egg!
Thank you for your help determining ITS heritage.
Regards…

 

[canne50]

Thank you to each of you for sharing your unique experiences and knowledge in regards to ITS mysterious heritage.
I will probably post no more here unless IT lays an egg. IT’s in full molt right now, so eggs coming into winter is not very likely. If IT’s a girl we’ll know by summer.
With warm regards…