MM "Rare Exotic"

[Damiana]

Ok, so I've determined this little guy is my free exotic. (I'm assuming its a male, rumor has it most free chicks from hatcheries are males) The issue is I have no idea what kind of chicken it is. I've looked through Murray McMurray's catalog even and most chicks don't look as white as he was even just a few days old. I'm really hoping its not an incredibly mundane breed. Anyone have ideas? Maybe some more certain opinions on gender as well? He's just a touch over two weeks old.

 

[TheNewMrsEvans]

What color are his feet? can you see what type of comb? standard size in comparison to your other chicks, or bantam?

 

[Damiana]

What color are his feet? can you see what type of comb? standard size in comparison to your other chicks, or bantam?

He is standard size, his legs are very pale, I don't know what the technical color would be, but they are slightly slate. It looks like he has a single comb...I think.

Honestly though, I have no idea what kind of comb he might have lol. I'm too new with chickens to be able to tell with certainty!

 

[Damiana]

After looking at the Murray McMurray website, he's either a White Rock, a White Orpington, a White Wyandotte, or a Pearl-White Leghorn. As he's getting bigger, I'm pretty sure he's a rooster, his comb is getting bigger than my other chicks, but I'm really not able to tell for sure what kind of comb it is. I also don't really know how to tell the difference between these white birds, lol. They all look really similar.

 

[jamie7100]

I think that its a blue breed, like maybe a blue andalusian. It is very pale but I have one from McMurray that is only a little darker than this one and 25% of BAs will be light like this. The characteristics that lend to the breed are the blue coloring around the head, the single comb, and the dark legs. Look at some google images and see if you think he looks like the light colored ones. I imagine he could also be a blue orpington, but I think they have a different body shape.

 

[erinangele]

It does look slightly blue, and the slate legs could point toward a Blue Andalusian. I'm not an expert, I only have one BA but my BA has black on it's beak and a larger comb. Very cute chick! You will have to post pictures as it feathers out.

 

[Brandi Leigh]

I hope they gave you a bird that is a little rarer then a white leghorn!

 

[Bill Matthews]

This is an easy one..This little guy is a White Giant and probably a pullet...You can disregard the negative rumors about all commercial hatcheries...The people at McMurray are first class and ethical in their business operations.....The rumor about all extras being cockrels started when the hatcheries had to add several extra chicks to keep small orders warm in cold weather...Good luck...

 

[Damiana]

Lol, I have a lot of breeds to guess from. I will definitely have to post pictures of it as it gets a little bigger. I was hoping for maybe a BA when I saw the bright little chick in our bunch, especially since I was hoping our free chick was actually "rare" or "exotic". I originally marked out White Giants because I figured the chicks would have the tuxedo markings on them from black to gray, but White Giants are probably yet another possibility. White rocks look like their legs are much more yellow. White Orpington might still be an option, despite his body shape, he's not too much more slender than the Buff Orpingtons I also recieved. I would love for it to be a blue breed, but he is so white, sometimes I think I'm tricking my eyes into seeing the blue color, lol. I'll give it another couple of weeks and update some pictures of it, and hopefully its breed and gender will be easier to tell.

 

[jamie7100]

Damiana - I took this picture of my 3 Blue Andalusian pullets from McMurray for you yesterday.




As you see, they are ranging in all colors and that little whitish one was quite white when she was a baby and is now a pale slate color. I noticed the blue coloring in your baby instantly. I also looked at the MM catalog and I really don't think they would send you any plain white breed as their rare exotic. For mine, I got a blue cochin who is actually still looking like a pullet at 5 weeks of age. I forgot to take updated pictures of that one. Keep me posted - I'm curious about what you end up with.