Mystery Cackle Hatchery Chicks/ Bantam Australorp? and...

[ClusterFlock]

Hi everyone!
It took me a week to get back online after my into and 1 failed attempt at posting during a lightning storm. Is there a draft feature at all? Oh well, lemme start over.

So, I live in TN and it only takes Cackle Hatchery a day to ship to me and the Tractor Supply chicks here always look terrible. Don't get me started on that.

I went with the Prepper Special Box, which include 8 hens and a roo according to them. A mix of dual purpose birds.
My chicks hatched on April 12th and arrived healthy on the morning of the 14th.

I'm happy with the diversity. So far identified 2 Barred Rocks, maybe some Buff Orps, and 2 RIR, one of which I believe is the rooster. (Pic Below)
Eh, been calling him Ruby for a few weeks so... Ruby Roo it is? Lemme know what you all think, he is the only one with a comb beginning to sprout

*And of course he has rooster behavior and the walk LOL

In addition to the 9 I ordered, I got what I've been calling a 'little bonus".
They sent me an extra chick, and she...is...tiny.
At first I was worried but she was eating well and had no problems. I started out thinking she was a Black Australorp. But then saw that a Bantam Australorp exists..
Her name has evolved from:
"Booger Face", to "Boogie Woogie", and I was hoping she'd become a "Boogie Mama" one day but...
I started to call her Lilith (after the black moon) because she is a fierce little thing and I witnessed her kill a wasp the other day!

[The Meaning Of The Black Moon Lilith In Astrology. Lilith is one of the dark goddesses, like Isis, Persephone, Hecate, or Kali, expressing the feminine power of the divine creative, trans-formative force.]

If anything, she is cute as hell no matter what she is. And a sweet thing. She hasnt let her size keep her from being the first one on my foot or head if she can.



My final inquiry,..which caused me to actually call up CH and ask. I think they gave me a Cornish Cross Hybrid. Which I was under the impression they wouldnt with this box.
It is a huge chick, she is agressive over the food with the others and has some bulky legs. Cackle Hatchery told me I didnt get a Cornish Cross but I would like to know in case I should harvest her. I hear they are bred to grow fast, but not to live long/lay. I don't want any of my animals to suffer, and if she was bred as a meat bird not made to thrive past 8 weeks is my main concern.
Hoping someone call tell me that's not the case.

I call her Gretchyn. But lately, "Big Gretch".

She is sorta grey and white mixed. I wish I had a side by side with another chicken, but she is too quick on those tree trunk legs.

Here is a pic of the whole Cluster Flock.
Does anyone know about the 3 sorta creamy orange ones? Some are redder and theres one with a long tail in the front. Her name is "Friendly". Should just call her "Nosie", she acts like a rooster. Man, I hope I only have 1 rooster.

Also, the ALL WHITE on the front left. No idea, but it is the sweetest one. It LOVES being held, it will ignore fresh food bowls and run to me instead. In the beginning I thought this was a rooster and called it "Boy", so maybe I spoiled it into liking attention? I praised it a lot for watching over the small one.

Hope you guys can help, and thank you in advance!

PS/ I am not the best at staying on top of replying to posts. I suffer from chronic illness's and do physical therapy every day. I have an autistic step son that we have on the weekends as well. Between life balance, garden, home cooking, and my new flock, I am a busy bee and just wanted to let everyone know because I always feel guilty that I cant be everywhere for everyone all the time.

~Peace & Pecks,
Shantelle

 

[Smileybans]

I picked up a bantam chick that looks just like your Lilith did as a chick. I was thinking bantam australorp too. As for Gretchyn she looks like she could be a Cornish cross. I know as my Cornish got bigger they had very little feathers on their underside and sat a lot. Did CH tell you what it might be? Since they insisted she wasn’t a Cornish cross.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

What a lovely description of your little flock! I love your Lilith. I agree she seems to be most likely a bantam Australorp. I do not know if Gretchen is a meat bird, there is something about her that is different I can’t put my finger on. Is it possible to get some better photos of her in clear natural lighting?

 

[saysfaa]

When I was researching breeds, I kept seeing that Black Australorp comes in standard and bantam but I never did see anyone who had or said they knew of anyone who had the bantams. Cackle doesn't list them. Cackle does list Black Japanese Bantams who also often have a few white feathers until the third molt; some of the chicks have a very similar color pattern to BA or sort of similar with more white on the head. Three of other black bantam breeds they offer have much different colors as chicks, I didn't look at all of the other black bantams.

 

[ClusterFlock]

I picked up a bantam chick that looks just like your Lilith did as a chick. I was thinking bantam australorp too. As for Gretchyn she looks like she could be a Cornish cross. I know as my Cornish got bigger they had very little feathers on their underside and sat a lot. Did CH tell you what it might be? Since they insisted she wasn’t a Cornish cross.

Well since they dont want you calling to ask for chick IDs with their boxes, I kept it brief and didn't push. I did feel like the person I spoke with had no clue what exactly I was asking them, so I dont think they lied but I didnt really dig hard. Gretchyn does sit a lot. But she can get around pretty well, she jumps on my head when I'm cleaning. I'm pretty tall. Unfortunately for me I cant move them to clean so it's a battle I gear up for daily in my hoodie and usually have minimum 3 birds battling for the "best spot"...my noggin.
Yeah with how tiny she is I'm almost sure, and when I look at pullet pics of the bantam aussies the expression and eyes are the same.
Awe, I'm glad shes tough then but I will probably fret extra over her to make sure shes always doing well amongst the larger breeds. So far so good...but, hormones are coming sooner than later
What happens if a standard size rooster breeds a bantam? I cant imagine a regular size egg from a 2 pound hen if that's how it works?
It would it just be a tiny fertilized egg?
Okay, done thinking 4 now haha.
Gonna keep an eye on the underside feathers.
Thank you so much!

 

[HappyClucker7]

What happens if a standard size rooster breeds a bantam? I cant imagine a regular size egg from a 2 pound hen if that's how it works?
It would it just be a tiny fertilized egg?

You might have a bit of a problem there, depending on how big your rooster gets, and how rough he is with the girls while mating. I have a bantam girl with an EE rooster, but that's creating problems now because the rooster is gigantic and he hurts her. I'm starting a whole separate bantam flock because of that.
You might not have any problems though. I know there are several people on here that have standard sized roosters with bantam hens.
The egg will not get bigger. It will just be a small, fertilized egg.

 

[ClusterFlock]

What a lovely description of your little flock! I love your Lilith. I agree she seems to be most likely a bantam Australorp. I do not know if Gretchen is a meat bird, there is something about her that is different I can’t put my finger on. Is it possible to get some better photos of her in clear natural lighting?

Yes now that the weekend is through I can get that accomplished =]

 

[ClusterFlock]

Yes now that the weekend is through I can get that accomplished =]

Tried to get some shots as the sun came up and they were sleepy. I always crow at them in the morning, I was crowing at Ruby the RIR as he was waking up and from behind me I was shocked to hear a half decent crow! But...from who?? So I crowed again and Gretchyn replied! Big Gretch is crowing at just over 4 weeks.
I felt like a proud, perplexed mama.
Gretchyn does have more comb than everyone besides Ruby. So now I may have a bigger issue!
Ruby and Gretchyn do a lot of chest bumps, but as far as I know Ruby is the boss. Gretch doesnt seem as aware as the others. Ruby sleeps alone and watches the others but Gretch sleeps with the girls. All she does is run from bowl to bowl eating. Yesterday I separated her for 5 mins to let the others have it easier. Lemme know what ya think and thank you as always!
Shanti

 

[ClusterFlock]

When I was researching breeds, I kept seeing that Black Australorp comes in standard and bantam but I never did see anyone who had or said they knew of anyone who had the bantams. Cackle doesn't list them. Cackle does list Black Japanese Bantams who also often have a few white feathers until the third molt; some of the chicks have a very similar color pattern to BA or sort of similar with more white on the head. Three of other black bantam breeds they offer have much different colors as chicks, I didn't look at all of the other black bantams.

Wow I didnt even check if they sold the BA that's so smart and thank you. She does have an asian look to her, her tail is very upright and pointy and she still has those white feathers. I cant believe how brave this chick is the other day I almost had a heart attack she had gotten to the top of the enclosure sitting on unsteady plastic barricade wobbling and freaking out.
Turns out, there was a moth in there. I'm so glad she didnt get caught up on anything and hurt ot strangled. Too brave for her britches!