Need help identifying black chicks...

[NavyChiefWife]

Someone gave these two chicks to my daughter today and we were told they were Plymouth Barred Rocks. I'm not so sure they are because I thought the Barred Rock chicks had a white dot on the head and white stripes on their wing feathers? One of these chicks has a brown color on its wings, granted, they look striped, but brown? They also have feathers on the legs of that helps? Also, I think they're about 1-2 weeks old, that's my best guess for age because we have other chicks that are 4 weeks old and they are much bigger and have all their first feathers already. These two are just getting their wing feathers.

Anyone have any idea on what they could be?

 

[PD-Riverman]

Someone gave these two chicks to my daughter today and we were told they were Plymouth Barred Rocks. I'm not so sure they are because I thought the Barred Rock chicks had a white dot on the head and white stripes on their wing feathers? One of these chicks has a brown color on its wings, granted, they look striped, but brown? They also have feathers on the legs of that helps? Also, I think they're about 1-2 weeks old, that's my best guess for age because we have other chicks that are 4 weeks old and they are much bigger and have all their first feathers already. These two are just getting their wing feathers.

Anyone have any idea on what they could be?

For sure not a barred rock because you are correct---no dot on the head. One of the pics looked like I seen feathers on its leg? You are saying some brown on a wing-----might be crossed, there are several other breeds they might could be or be a part of like Black Copper Maran.

 

[PD-Riverman]

What king of brooder heat are you using?

 

[NavyChiefWife]

Here are two more pictures. In one of the pictures you can kind of see the brown stripes on one of the chick's wings. Then the other picture shows the feathers on the feet.

Right now, I have them in a Tupperware bin with a heat lamp on them. The food & water bowls are temporary because I wasn't expecting to be given 2 more chicks and my regular chick feeder & waterer are in with my 4 week old chicks right now.

As a separate question, any idea on when I can mix these guys with my 4 week old chicks? I've never mixed different aged babies before, just adults.

 

[NavyChiefWife]

And these are my 4 week old chicks hanging out in their playpen outside. They are ISA Brown sex links. Should I keep the 2 black ones separate for a while, or until they're all adults?

 

[PD-Riverman]

Here are two more pictures. In one of the pictures you can kind of see the brown stripes on one of the chick's wings. Then the other picture shows the feathers on the feet.

Right now, I have them in a Tupperware bin with a heat lamp on them. The food & water bowls are temporary because I wasn't expecting to be given 2 more chicks and my regular chick feeder & waterer are in with my 4 week old chicks right now.

As a separate question, any idea on when I can mix these guys with my 4 week old chicks? I've never mixed different aged babies before, just adults.

The one with the feathered legs looks real similar to a black copper maran, of course I have seen many black coppers born without feathered legs too. I would let these get a few weeks older and have them close to the others so they can see each other but not touch--then try them together and see how it goes.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I put day olds in with three week olds several times with no issues. I usually add more then just two though.
I agree with PD-Riverman. Putting them in so that they can see but not touch would likely be the better choice.

 

[NavyChiefWife]

Thanks for the tips! I'll definitely try doing that. Hopefully I won't have any issues combining them. I set the container they're in next to where my older pullets were for a few minutes and the older chicks definitely seemed interested in them! They kept stretching their little scrawny necks trying to see into the conrianer, like they wanted to get a better look at them. It was adorable.

I'll keep posting pictures as they grow, so if anyone else wants to take a guess at what they think they are, (breed & sex) they can. After the suggestion of them possibly being Black Copper Marans, I looked that breed up, now I'm leaning towards them being that breed. Although, the brown stripes still throw me off, so.... ???