Mystery chicks, help please!

[NevadaEmma]

I ordered 8 Salmon Faverolle chicks from Valley Hatchery LLC. Two boxes arrived right on time (actually a few hours earlier than I thought). The first box contained the 8 SF chicks.

Puzzeled, I opened the second bigger box to find 15 chicks on one side of the divided box. I thought I picked up someone elses box, but no, it was addressed to me. Fortunately the brooder that I set up in the house could accomodate all the chicks, at least for a few days.

But what were they, and why were they sent to me? The lovely Connie at Valley Hatchery explained that they had some new employes that may not have understood that they were to add one extra of the same breed. Why they sent 15 other mixed chicks was a mystery.

None the less, Connie and the others at the hatchery tried to identify the mystery birds. They seemed to think that I received a layer box special, so they really did not know exactly what I have. Now to try to identify some of the mystery chicks.

All but one chick (one of the mystery chicks) seemed healthy and happy. Within the first few hours they were drinking, eating, and running about. I need a bigger container, or maybe two!


Please see photos and let me know if anyone has ideas of what they could be.

 

[JedJackson]

These are perplexing!

I want to say the red and white ones are golden cuckoo Marans, but that breed is not listed. The spots on the heads indicate they should be barred. Maybe olive eggers? I don't know for sure.

The first chick is maybe a Colombian Wyandotte or light Brahma if it has feathered legs.

The second chick could be silver junglefowl, silver or golden Phoenix or Yokohama, or maybe an Easter egger.

 

[NevadaEmma]

Seems to me from looking online that my chicpmunk one (2nd photo) could be the golden phoenix. And Valley Hatchery sells them.

The hatchery does not sell the Gold cuckoo marans though. I have two of these. At first I thought they (and the chipmunk) were bantams as they are at least a third smaller that the others.

The first chick is also smaller that the rest, even slightly smaller than the chipmunk. Again I thought the were Bantams. They do not have feathered legs.

I guess I will have to keep them until they start developing more traits.

They are supposed to be all layers and all standard chickens.

Maybe you could tell me if you know how to tell Jubilee Orphington chicks from Cinnamon Queen chicks. I have 6 really lovely light orange to medium orange chicks all about the same size. Some have two orange, fuzzy stipes down the back whick is a lighter orange. They could all be the same breed or two different breeds.

Thanks for the help. I appreciate it. I did not want to have this many chickens (already have 5 Salmon Faverolles plus 10 new SF chicks) 9 Ameruacana, 4 Amber white.

I think some will need to find a new home.!

 

[JedJackson]

Seems to me from looking online that my chicpmunk one (2nd photo) could be the golden phoenix. And Valley Hatchery sells them.

The hatchery does not sell the Gold cuckoo marans though. I have two of these. At first I thought they (and the chipmunk) were bantams as they are at least a third smaller that the others.

The first chick is also smaller that the rest, even slightly smaller than the chipmunk. Again I thought the were Bantams. They do not have feathered legs.

I guess I will have to keep them until they start developing more traits.

They are supposed to be all layers and all standard chickens.

Maybe you could tell me if you know how to tell Jubilee Orphington chicks from Cinnamon Queen chicks. I have 6 really lovely light orange to medium orange chicks all about the same size. Some have two orange, fuzzy stipes down the back whick is a lighter orange. They could all be the same breed or two different breeds.

Thanks for the help. I appreciate it. I did not want to have this many chickens (already have 5 Salmon Faverolles plus 10 new SF chicks) 9 Ameruacana, 4 Amber white.

I think some will need to find a new home.!

Some or all of the last ones may be red shouldered Yokohama chicks. They could also be Jubilee Orpingtons or Cinnamon Queens. Orpingtons will have white or pinkish white legs, whereas CQs will have yellow legs, but it can be difficult to distinguish when they're babies. However, it won't be long before they develop little wing feathers, and then it would be much easier to tell them apart.

 

[NevadaEmma]

Yes, that will be the fun part of the mystery chicks. The orange/yellow ones are so pretty and do not make a fuss when I pick them up. Thanks again. C

 

[NevadaEmma]

Update - I almost lost one of the smallest yellow and black/grey chicks. Good lesson on poopy butt with tiny chicks. She is fine but still suffers from poopy butt everyday. She gets so cold that I usually hold her until she warms up after the de-pooping.

The orange ones are a delight, whatever they are. Calm, friendly, active but not frantic active. I am looking forward to seeing what they are.

I seperated the larger chicks from the tiny ones. I have a small tractor coop that I have electricity to so they can stay warm. The samll ones I will keep in the house until they are much larger and it gets warmer.

I also bring any chick in the tractor coop (Amigo Coop) into the house if they have poopy butt. I have never had this much of a problem with poopy butts before, ever.

Excited to see what they all turn out to be!!