New additions, same breed?

[griswell]

We initially got nine banty barred rock chicks. Five of them turned out to be roos, and we let three of those roos go. The remaining chicks have grown and all about the same size now. You can see four of them in the first pic, all about the same size, same pattern (nice even stripes of black and white or white and black). A few days after the extra roos left, we got two more barred rock chicks from the same breeder, he said they were banties just like our others, and they were born about three days after the ones we initially got.

However, after having those two for only ten days, something fishy has occured. When they arrived, they were both roughly the same size. Now, one of the newbies is HUGE! (Bigger than our original chicks are now!) She is also a total SPAZ who will freak out the moment she sees your hand come near her. The other one is barely bigger than when we got her, and she has a wingspan that is insane! She can easily fly out of the 2-foot high cage we have her in, to the point that I have to be ready to block her the moment I open the top!

"Big Spaz" also has a different pattern to her feathers. (see the green arrow) They aren't in neat little rows like our others--more of a checkerboard-ish thing, and the tiny one with the huge wings has a similar difference. (You can see that one in the second pic also, right next to "Big Spaz"...there is NO WAY these are from the same hatching!

What I am trying to figure out, is if they aren't the same as our original group (Barred Rock Bantams), what are they? They obviously aren't from the same mother themselves, because one is huge and the other is tiny. Sorry for the poo in the pics. I am working on a coop for them and right now they are on top of bricks over a cardboard liner.

 

[Illia]

Well first, the big one is a male. (notice the huge white spot on the head - sign of a male) and second, yeah, looks like a standard sized Barred Rock.

LOVE the patterning on those bantams though!! Wow!!

 

[Louieandthecrew]

They are PRETTY!

 

[griswell]

Quote:
Thanks guys! I love looking at them. My granddad had "dominekkers" as he called them, and they are my favorite breed and color.
Yes, I noticed the big white spot when we got her. I also noticed her legs, and they are VERY dark all across the front. I guess I was hoping the dark legs were a better sign of female than the headspot. Also, her headspot (although large) was very uniform...almost a perfect circle. But seriously, if everyone else thinks SHE is a HE, please tell me...I'd lose no sleep over letting the SPAZ go to another home. She squawks like she's about to be ripped to shreds when I put my hand anywhere near her! (or him?)

 

[ChIck3n]

Yep, looks like a standard male Barred Rock.

 

[griswell]

Quote:
If everyone still thinks I have a boy here, I'd really like to move "Spaz" out before too much longer.

 

[griswell]

Oh, and if it IS a female, if she is a standard size while the others are bantam, will she cause trouble for them? Like push them around?

 

[ella]

It depends on the individual but generally bantams and large fowl can co exist peacefully. Just like with dogs it's all about personality- not at all about size.

 

[griswell]

Quote:
But if this chick turns out to be a full sized male barred rock, and not a female, he would definitely cause trouble for the rest of the girls who are all banty, I'm guessing. I just hate to get rid of her/him if she is most likely female, but if it's the other way around, *sigh* I don't know.