Is she an Andalusian?

[vsmenagerie]

I bought 2 "blue andalusian" chicks from the feed store. I was pretty certain I would not end up with blues, but was hoping! One turned out to be a splash and looks like all the pictures I have found of them. But the other one is black, and does not really look like any pictures I have found. They are around 20 weeks now. This is about as good as it gets for a picture, they are fairly flighty girls. But her legs are black, and her face is black, her comb and wattles are just barely starting to show any red, they were fairly black as well. Just thought I would see if she is an andalusian or if something else was mixed in with them

Thanks!

 

[chicksurreal]

Very pretty! You can have black "Blue Andalusians" We got some chicks from McMurray and one of them was a Blue Andalusian that was coal black. Most gorgeous cockerel I've ever had.

 

[chicksurreal]

Here's a picture of Rambo at 17 weeks old-

 

[vsmenagerie]

Yes, I knew they could be black, but trying to find pictures has been frustrating! Its interesting the difference between comb growth in this one and the splash. the splashes comb and wattles are much larger than the blacks! I was a little worried she might be a he, but no rooster feathers to be seen, I think she just bloomed a little earlier lol Your boy is very handsome <3 She is definitely a pretty girl, my older son has claimed her and the splash

Thank you!

 

[chicksurreal]

Yes, I knew they could be black, but trying to find pictures has been frustrating! Its interesting the difference between comb growth in this one and the splash. the splashes comb and wattles are much larger than the blacks! I was a little worried she might be a he, but no rooster feathers to be seen, I think she just bloomed a little earlier lol Your boy is very handsome <3 She is definitely a pretty girl, my older son has claimed her and the splash

Thank you!

She certainly looks like an Andalusian to me. We have two Blue Andalusian pullets and their combs are gigantic! One flops over very prettily and the other stands straight up, their both about 9 months old now. I really like the breed, even though they're pretty flighty and one of them insists on flying over the fence every day to lay her egg and then I have to let her back in. Lol!

 

[Cowgirl71]

I bought 2 "blue andalusian" chicks from the feed store. I was pretty certain I would not end up with blues, but was hoping! One turned out to be a splash and looks like all the pictures I have found of them. But the other one is black, and does not really look like any pictures I have found. They are around 20 weeks now. This is about as good as it gets for a picture, they are fairly flighty girls. But her legs are black, and her face is black, her comb and wattles are just barely starting to show any red, they were fairly black as well. Just thought I would see if she is an andalusian or if something else was mixed in with them Thanks!

Feed stores get 99+% of their chicks from large mail-order hatcheries, so your pullet is very likely a hatchery-grade Andalusion. By definition, hatchery birds are bred first for egg production, hardinesss, etc. This sometimes includes some crossbreeding, to increase the hardiness and laying ability. More eggs means more chicks they can sell! They're in the business of making money, so breeding for ideal birds that match the breed standard in appearance ranks pretty low on their list. A breeder's birds are more likely to look like true Andalusions and do well at poultry shows, while hatchery birds will out-lay breeder's birds 9 times out of 10. For in the future, you can tell by the color of the chick's down what color they'll feather in as. Splashes are very light colored, blues are blue, and blacks are black.

 

[donrae]

I don't think she's an Andalusian. Comb is tiny and dark, no white lobe, and body looks quite heavy. I'm not sure what she is, though. your best bet will be to call the feed store, see what hatchery they went through, and search their website and see what comes closest.

 

[chicksurreal]

I don't think she's an Andalusian. Comb is tiny and dark, no white lobe, and body looks quite heavy. I'm not sure what she is, though. your best bet will be to call the feed store, see what hatchery they went through, and search their website and see what comes closest.

That's true, Andalusian lobes are white.

 

[vsmenagerie]

I don't think she's an Andalusian. Comb is tiny and dark, no white lobe, and body looks quite heavy. I'm not sure what she is, though. your best bet will be to call the feed store, see what hatchery they went through, and search their website and see what comes closest.

I plan to ask again when I go in, but I am pretty sure it was Meyer or McMurray and possibly Dunlap, and Ive looked. the only one that looks similar in coloring is Sumatra but the comb is wrong. If I compare her to the other one I got at the same time, the splash, they do not look all that similar. The splash has a big red comb that is almost floppy, like in pictures Ive seen. That is what is throwing me the most, the fact that her comb and wattles are dark, she's just dark all over. I will try to catch her and see if I can get better pictures. All the black chickens Ive looked at have lighter faces and red combs.

I know she isnt going to be perfect quality, since she's from a hatchery, I actually only grabbed some chicks from there because I had a runt and my others from Ideal were ready to go out, but the runt really wasnt so I got her friends. Id like an idea of what she is but it doesnt totally matter She isnt going anywhere, but whenever I look at her, Im like huh, what are you? haha

 

[Egghead_Jr]

When a white lobe and red lobed bird are crossed you get anything in between. Your bird certainly has white ear ancestry but think it's been diluted. She looks Mediterranean too. I'd chaulk it up as hatchery quality and throw back genetics to what they put into the line for utility improvement.