More chicks, more questions

[mintdeer]

We picked up 9 chicks on Saturday, all are breeds I've never had before except for the easter eggers. We got 2 speckled sussex, 2 easter eggers, 2 "marans hybrid", a welsummer, a salmon faverolle, and an olive egger. All sexed so should be pullets. One of the easter eggers, the smallest of the bunch, was a bit lethargic on Monday, and I noticed she still has a fairly prominent navel scab. She's acting fine now though, lively and eating/drinking/pooping as normal, so hopefully that's nothing to worry about? She also still has the wax casing(?) over many of her wing feathers. Should she be cleaning them off herself, or will they come off eventually? Is there anything I should be doing?

Next...we got two "marans hybrid" and I have no idea what they'll look like. One already has a lot of wing/tail feather growth and the other has shorter wings and no tail growth. Last time I noticed this difference, the slower to feather one ended up being a rooster, so I worry that's what's happening here.... Thoughts? Have you ever had this difference in feather growth and it was just a late bloomer? Or does it pretty surely mean roo? Here they are sitting nicely next to each other for comparison. They're about a week older than the others.

Lastly, our little olive egger! I've been wanting an olive egger so I'm very excited. Just wondering what she'll look like as an adult? Anyone who's had an olive egger chick like this, what did it turn out like? I'm assuming mostly black/grey?

 

[FuzzyCritters]

One of the easter eggers, the smallest of the bunch, was a bit lethargic on Monday, and I noticed she still has a fairly prominent navel scab. She's acting fine now though, lively and eating/drinking/pooping as normal, so hopefully that's nothing to worry about? She also still has the wax casing(?) over many of her wing feathers. Should she be cleaning them off herself, or will they come off eventually? Is there anything I should be doing?

Can you post a picture of the naval scab? I'm having a hard time picturing what you mean. The pinfeathers look normal to me, but you can rub the casing off if you want.

Next...we got two "marans hybrid" and I have no idea what they'll look like. One already has a lot of wing/tail feather growth and the other has shorter wings and no tail growth. Last time I noticed this difference, the slower to feather one ended up being a rooster, so I worry that's what's happening here.... Thoughts? Have you ever had this difference in feather growth and it was just a late bloomer? Or does it pretty surely mean roo? Here they are sitting nicely next to each other for comparison. They're about a week older than the others.

Are these just random marans mixes, or are they from a feed store or hatchery? If they are from a feed strore/hatchery, they are probably the sex-linked BCM roo over Barred Rock hen cross (also known marans sex-link, midnight majesty marans, and dominant copper). If that is the case, you 100% have pullets (males would get head spots).

Lastly, our little olive egger! I've been wanting an olive egger so I'm very excited. Just wondering what she'll look like as an adult? Anyone who's had an olive egger chick like this, what did it turn out like? I'm assuming mostly black/grey?

Adorable! Based on what she looks like now, she will probably be black barred. She definitely has barring.

 

[mintdeer]

Can you post a picture of the naval scab? I'm having a hard time picturing what you mean. The pinfeathers look normal to me, but you can rub the casing off if you want.


Are these just random marans mixes, or are they from a feed store or hatchery? If they are from a feed strore/hatchery, they are probably the sex-linked BCM roo over Barred Rock hen cross (also known marans sex-link, midnight majesty marans, and dominant copper). If that is the case, you 100% have pullets (males would get head spots).


Adorable! Based on what she looks like now, she will probably be black barred. She definitely has barring.

Thanks for the help! I'll try to get a picture of the navel scab, I noticed it while checking her for pasty butt. It's below her vent, looks like a hard little black scab. I read that it's normal and falls off after a while, but this one's is large and still attached.

As for the "marans hybrid", we got them from a local breeder/hatchery (Hilltop Farms in Southern CA). The description on their website is "The Marans Hybrid has black plumage and most hatch with feathered feet, but some do not. Deep browns show up through their down feathering underneath, making them a mix of beautiful dark brown and black plumage. The males are barred. This breed will lay dark brown eggs and will lay a lot of them!" Doesn't say anything about them being sex linked, but if only the males are barred, I suppose we'll find out soon enough as their feathering comes in! It'd great to have two pullets, since that what we ordered.