I'm going to need these young ladies IDs

[Discodog]

Hi everyone!

I'm new to chickens, and got my first two girls just over two weeks ago, so sorry if the questions seem silly.

I'd love you guys to help me with their full ID, I'm almost sure that the breeder we got them from wasn't quite honest with us (but whatever, we love our girls, it's just a bit of curiosity really).

So here goes

Jackie is supposed to be a common French blue (limousine blue), and 23 weeks old. She was a bit skittish at first but learned to relax, and is the boss lady of our mini flock. We're expecting her to lay her first egg in the next weeks, especially since her egg songs this weekend!

Tuning is supposed to also be 23 weeks old, and allegedly a silver cuckoo marans...but no feathers on her legs, she's starting to grow golden feathers on her neck, and seems much less mature than her flockmate. Is she really younger or just a bit longer to mature due to her breed? She's a lovely chick-like chirping pullet, and loves to nest in my arms, burying her head in my clothes and gently pecking my arms into place to keep her warm (Jackie just fluffs up my hair and hides underneath it perched on my shoulder)

Thanks in advance for your help, can't wait to hear from you all!

 

[BantamLover21]

I'm not sure what Jackie is, but I've never heard of a "common French Blue" before. Tuning does look like a Cuckoo Marans to me; not all have feathered legs.

 

[Discodog]

Thanks Bantamlover!

It's a loose translation really, they call them "bleue de France" or "bleue du Limousin", Jackie is blue with a black and red strewn hood (she's a real stunner) they're supposed to be good layers and brooders, with 2 ounce white-pinkish eggs.

I thought that Tuning might be just part marans, probably because I thought that they HAD to have feathered white legs, and that hers are yellow and completely featherless...

Any ideas as to their ages and to why Tuning is turning gold around the collar?

 

[donrae]

What country are you in?

What comb does that second bird have? It has glare in the pic so I can't see it well, but it doesn't look to be a straight comb as a Marans should have. You're correct in that Marans should have white/pink legs, so I'm thinking this girl is a mix. That would also explain the gold leakage on the collar area.

 

[Discodog]

Hi Donrae!

I'm currently living in the same country my chooks come from, the land of cheese, wine and garlic!

What sort of comb does my cuckoo have? A small one? A pinkish one? Honestly I'm feeling a bit silly, but I don't know how to tell what a straight comb is at this point... I'll just have to snap a few better pics over the weekend and let you have a look

 

[donrae]

A straight comb will look like the other bird's comb, a row of sawtooth edges. A rose or pea comb is wider, flatter and has smooth bumps.

 

[Discodog]

OK thanks for the info Donrae . I guess the bumps are smoother, but I only thought that it was because her comb is smaller than her buddies one.

I read up on the BYC article on combs, but still am a bit puzzled. Here are a few close(r)-ups, what do you think?

It looks like the gold splashes are spreading too, isn't that a bit weird given that she's now 24 week as old?