Let’s solve a mystery

[Poultry mum]

I thought Plymouth Rocks laid brown eggs, but it also sounds like the chicks will be mixed breed

It’s highly likely they are the same mix as bean… PR x Wyandotte

Unless of course bean got to his mum and then they would be pure?? Maybe???

 

[NatJ]

That’s what I need to know with the eggs I’m not sure what breed lays those eggs… some suggestions would be good on what breed could lay eggs like that… I can then confirm weather I have that breed or not

Chicken breeds that could lay those eggs:
--any breed that is supposed to lay brown eggs
--some individuals of breeds that are supposed to lay white eggs
--some individuals of breeds or mixes that are supposed to lay blue or green eggs
--mixed breed chickens

How many chickens do you have? It is generally easier if you list them all, because trying to list every chicken breed that could possibly lay that color egg would be an even longer list.

Both chicks look like little penguins if that helps…

The chick photos are more helpful than the eggs.
For that color chick, I would expect one parent to be black. Or blue, or chocolate, or khaki, or maybe white. The "black" parent could also have white barring or white mottling.

The other parent could be just about any color.

My gut wants to say Plymouth Rock mum but I’m not sure…

If you mean a Barred Plymouth Rock, yes she certainly could be the mother.

I know which one of my boys likes certain hens

That can tell who the likely father is, but does not guarantee anything. All it takes is one other sneaky rooster, within the week before the eggs are laid, to mix you up there.

Some other details to check:
--count toes. A chick with an extra toe should have at least one parent with an extra toe.

--check the comb type. I think I'm seeing single combs, which don't tell much (since a single comb chick can come from parents with any comb type.) But if a chick has any other comb type, that tells something about what comb type is found on at least one parent.

--check for feathered feet, crest, and muff/beard. Again, I don't see either of those, but if any of them are present, you know at least one parent must have the trait in order to give it to the chick.

That's how my silver laced wyandotte looked like when it was a baby

Silver Laced Wyandottes are not supposed to look like that as chicks. They usually have some markings around the eyes, some striping on the back, and a flat little rose comb. (Those details can differ a bit, but they still tend to look different than what I see of OP's chicks.)

 

[NatJ]

It’s highly likely they are the same mix as bean… PR x Wyandotte

Unless of course bean got to his mum and then they would be pure?? Maybe???

No, they would not be pure. If a mixed breed cockerel is crossed back to his purebred mother, you still get mixed breed chicks.

 

[Poultry mum]

Chicken breeds that could lay those eggs:
--any breed that is supposed to lay brown eggs
--some individuals of breeds that are supposed to lay white eggs
--some individuals of breeds or mixes that are supposed to lay blue or green eggs
--mixed breed chickens

How many chickens do you have? It is generally easier if you list them all, because trying to list every chicken breed that could possibly lay that color egg would be an even longer list.


The chick photos are more helpful than the eggs.
For that color chick, I would expect one parent to be black. Or blue, or chocolate, or khaki, or maybe white. The "black" parent could also have white barring or white mottling.

The other parent could be just about any color.


If you mean a Barred Plymouth Rock, yes she certainly could be the mother.


That can tell who the likely father is, but does not guarantee anything. All it takes is one other sneaky rooster, within the week before the eggs are laid, to mix you up there.

Some other details to check:
--count toes. A chick with an extra toe should have at least one parent with an extra toe.

--check the comb type. I think I'm seeing single combs, which don't tell much (since a single comb chick can come from parents with any comb type.) But if a chick has any other comb type, that tells something about what comb type is found on at least one parent.

--check for feathered feet, crest, and muff/beard. Again, I don't see either of those, but if any of them are present, you know at least one parent must have the trait in order to give it to the chick.


Silver Laced Wyandottes are not supposed to look like that as chicks. They usually have some markings around the eyes, some striping on the back, and a flat little rose comb. (Those details can differ a bit, but they still tend to look different than what I see of OP's chicks.)

Well you took ya time.. …
I originally thought maybe they might have been pure Hamburgs as I had my silver spangled’s all penned up together… but then doing some research there’s no way they are pure.. if they are even hamburgs…
As for black fathers I’ve only got my show silkie boy.. who is in his own pen with my show silkie girl.. and as there is only 4 toes and no fluff on the feet and legs that rules him out…
My other boys are of mix colours…
As for my girls we’ll see I’ve got over 30 hens Yes chicken maths is amazing… of those I have a few black girls … 2 lay very round green/olive eggs
1 lays smaller tinted eggs (almost looks like a silkie egg just a little bit bigger) and one lays pinkish eggs …
I keep coming back to sally (barred rock/ Plymouth Rock) as the mother…
So if that’s the case then I’m narrowed down to 3 possible fathers.. sheena (Wyandotte) Duncan (gold spangled Hamburg x Wyandotte?) and bean Sally’s very own son…

 

[Poultry mum]

No, they would not be pure. If a mixed breed cockerel is crossed back to his purebred mother, you still get mixed breed chicks.

Fair enough

 

[NatJ]

I originally thought maybe they might have been pure Hamburgs as I had my silver spangled’s all penned up together… but then doing some research there’s no way they are pure.. if they are even hamburgs…

I agree. Those chicks are not pure Silver Spangled Hamburgs, although it's not impossible for them to be Hamburg mixes.

As for black fathers I’ve only got my show silkie boy.. who is in his own pen with my show silkie girl.. and as there is only 4 toes and no fluff on the feet and legs that rules him out…

Yes, that does rule him out pretty thoroughly.

As for my girls we’ll see I’ve got over 30 hens Yes chicken maths is amazing…

Yes, that does make it difficult!

of those I have a few black girls … 2 lay very round green/olive eggs
1 lays smaller tinted eggs (almost looks like a silkie egg just a little bit bigger) and one lays pinkish eggs …

Yes, if you know they do not lay those eggs, you can rule them out.

I keep coming back to sally (barred rock/ Plymouth Rock) as the mother…

Yes, she's a good choice. Barred is the color, Plymouth Rock is the breed that comes in several colors, although the "Plymouth" often gets skipped (so we call them Barred Rock, White Rock, etc.)

So if that’s the case then I’m narrowed down to 3 possible fathers.. sheena (Wyandotte) Duncan (gold spangled Hamburg x Wyandotte?) and bean Sally’s very own son…

Yes, any of those could be the father. It sounds like they probably all have rose combs. Sally's son would be carrying the gene for not-rose comb, and the other two might also have that gene (it's pretty common for rose comb chickens to carry it), so at present I can't think of an easy way to sort out which one is the actual father. As the chicks grow up, they may leak bits of other colors or maybe bits of some pattern, which might help figure it out.

 

[Poultry mum]

I agree. Those chicks are not pure Silver Spangled Hamburgs, although it's not impossible for them to be Hamburg mixes.


Yes, that does rule him out pretty thoroughly.


Yes, that does make it difficult!


Yes, if you know they do not lay those eggs, you can rule them out.


Yes, she's a good choice. Barred is the color, Plymouth Rock is the breed that comes in several colors, although the "Plymouth" often gets skipped (so we call them Barred Rock, White Rock, etc.)


Yes, any of those could be the father. It sounds like they probably all have rose combs. Sally's son would be carrying the gene for not-rose comb, and the other two might also have that gene (it's pretty common for rose comb chickens to carry it), so at present I can't think of an easy way to sort out which one is the actual father. As the chicks grow up, they may leak bits of other colors or maybe bits of some pattern, which might help figure it out.

Yes agree… now the really hard part convincing my partner that I need to keep them!!