Jade/Jake?

[31swford]

This is Jade/Jake, one of our four Sussex. She carries herself like a rooster but acts like she has PMS. They were born in April, so none are laying or crowing. I think she really doesn't know she is a chicken, cause she runs with my five guineas and even does a good imitation of flight. Is she a speckled Sussex? She is primarily black and white but has a slight sheen of brown in a few of her neck feathers. Is she mates with a light Sussex rooster, what am I gonna end up with as far as offspring?

 

[31swford]

Here she is with Pearl the guinea. I have even seen her peck at the guineas.

 

[AinaWGSD]

I don't think she's a sussex. Sussex should have white legs, not yellow. And while speckled sussex are supposed to be mahogany based (not black), her ground color isn't right. Even in hatchery birds, it should be much more of a reddish brown with black down by the ends of the feathers right before the white tip.




One of my girls for comparison. Note the reddish feathers and the white legs.


I think Jade for sure, at 5 months old a male would have obvious pointy saddle and hackle feathers by now and I don't see any, just rounded hen feathers. By 5 months males of most breeds have curved sickle feathers already too, and I don't see any of those either.

 

[31swford]

[=

][/]Thanks for your reply. She had more brown when she was younger. They free range most days, could that have anything to do with it? Most summer days here are 90-100 degrees. PS-beautiful chicken you have there!