Mystery Bird from McMurray Hatchery

[chickenchicklady]

Hey all! I got a mystery bird thrown in my order of Meat birds (If I could have, I would have opted out of receiving a mystery bird because I think it will be too cold for it pretty soon), and I’m wondering if anyone has any guesses on what it could be? I’ll update with pictures every so often until we know for sure! It sure is a cutie!

 

[Mimi13]

I’m not sure of the breed, maybe a Barred Rock?!? But, if you have my luck, that white dot on the head signifies a cockerel.

 

[Evanloveschickens]

It’s a girl? And it might be a barred rock.

 

[chickenchicklady]

It doesn’t look like the barred rock chicks I had a couple months ago. The wings are a bluish Gray (pictures don’t show it very well).

It’s a girl? And it might be a barred rock.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I think it looks like a barred rock chick, too.

 

[Mimi13]

It’s a single comb. White legs?

 

[NatJ]

(If I could have, I would have opted out of receiving a mystery bird because I think it will be too cold for it pretty soon)

Last time I ordered from McMurray, I did have the option to opt out of the mystery bird.

And I don't think you need to worry about the cold--just butcher it at the same time as the meat birds. Yes, it will be smaller. But it will still be perfectly edible. (And probably larger than a quail or a pigeon--they are small, but plenty of people eat them.)

 

[TheOddOneOut]

It doesn’t look like the barred rock chicks I had a couple months ago. The wings are a bluish Gray (pictures don’t show it very well).

The spot on the head means it’s a BR cockerel. Never accept a mystery chick, or an extra one.

 

[coach723]

Leg color may help, or not. Many of the black breeds have similar leg coloring. I would guess either barred rock or sex link. Black sex link pullets have no white on the head, cockerels have the white on the head. Sometimes barring is not obvious for the first week or two, as the feathers grow out and come in it will be more obvious, either way. Post again in a week, it might be more obvious then. If it's a mix, then initial feathering may not be real accurate as to what it's going to really look like.
With black sex links, my understanding is, barred hen crossed with non-barred rooster. Pullets will be a solid color, usually black, cockerels are barred like the mother. The pullets will often have a collar or chest patch of color bleed, often red when they mature.
https://meyerhatchery.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360009871752-Day-Old-Chick-Identification
https://preppinwolf.wordpress.com/c...-second-flock/weekly-progression-barred-rock/

 

[chickenchicklady]

I don’t think I had the option to opt out, because I did try to. Can I feed it the same meat grower food if I’m going to butcher it?

Last time I ordered from McMurray, I did have the option to opt out of the mystery bird.

And I don't think you need to worry about the cold--just butcher it at the same time as the meat birds. Yes, it will be smaller. But it will still be perfectly edible. (And probably larger than a quail or a pigeon--they are small, but plenty of people eat them.)