NY chicken lover!!!!

[Pyxis]

Speaking of mixes...do you guys think you might be able to tell "Who's the hen" from looking at some chicks, if the cock is definitely a BCM?  

I put my BCM boy over a variety of hens...Black australorp, BCM, speckled sussex, buff orpington, barred rock, and easter eggers.  Some of the chicks are quite interesting.  None of them are from the EEs, for sure because most of the EE eggs didn't hatch and the one that did, I had to cull the chick (slipped tendon).  

I can tell the barred rock's chick...because the chick is barred.  Its difficult to tell between the full BCM chicks and the australorp/BCM chicks...they're all black and the presence of feathered shanks doesn't preclude the australorp mix because of the cock.

But there are some brownish chicks...if I didn't know better I'd think they were BCM/EE.  They have heavily feathered shanks. I should see if I can grab a picture or two later.

On the other side of the coop, I had those three silkie roosters (two silver partridge and a blue) over a silver sebright hen, and their chicks are really neat.  

You could post pictures and we could try! By the way, your barred chick is a rooster

 

[Sweetpea3829]

You could post pictures and we could try! By the way, your barred chick is a rooster

*sigh* I figured. He's already developing a comb. Though I've had some moments of hope because the comb is smallish.

How did you know, though? Is it the barring?

 

[Pyxis]

You could post pictures and we could try! By the way, your barred chick is a rooster

*sigh*  I figured.  He's already developing a comb.  Though I've had some moments of hope because the comb is smallish.

How did you know, though?  Is it the barring?  

Yep! He's a black sex link. Any chicks that hatched from that same pairing, the BCM with the barred rock, and aren't barred are black sex link pullets.

 

[Sweetpea3829]

Really? Huh! So some of the all black chicks might actually be from the barred rock hen, then?

What about the shank feathering? Is that random genetics or is there something to that?

For what its worth, the heaviest feathered shanks are on the brown chicks. I'm assuming those chicks are from the speckled sussex hen but...I really don't know. Could be the buff orp too.

I'll grab some pics later. Making a meatloaf right now. ;-)

 

[Pyxis]

Really?  Huh!  So some of the all black chicks might actually be from the barred rock hen, then?  

What about the shank feathering?  Is that random genetics or is there something to that?

For what its worth, the heaviest feathered shanks are on the brown chicks.  I'm assuming those chicks are from the speckled sussex hen but...I really don't know.  Could be the buff orp too.  

I'll grab some pics later.  Making a meatloaf right now.  ;-)

From what I understand, shank feathering is a dominant trait, so most all of the chicks should have at least some leg feathering if the father's was good and he carried two copies of the gene Yep, some of your all black chicks could certainly be from the barred rock hen.

 

[Sweetpea3829]

From what I understand, shank feathering is a dominant trait, so most all of the chicks should have at least some leg feathering if the father's was good and he carried two copies of the gene

Yep, some of your all black chicks could certainly be from the barred rock hen.

I would say approx 85% of the chicks are feathered. There are a few that have absolutely no feathering at all. Some that have sparse feathering (the cock has sparse feathering, but enough for a BCM)...and there's a few that have heavier shank feathering.

I took some pics and will post them in a separate comment.

 

[Sweetpea3829]

In today's edition of....GUESS THAT HEN!!!!

The cock for all of them is a Black Copper Maran. He is not a high quality BCM as he has yellow shanks/feet, which is a DQ. So possibly, he is a mix. I hatched him from eggs that were given to me, and he hatched from a nice dark egg.

The hens in the coop:

Buff Orpington

Barred Rock

Speckled Sussex

Black Australorp

Easter Eggers (none of these chicks are EE mix as none hatched from a blue egg)

BCM


Match that chick with its Momma!

Chick 1:

Well feathered legs. Obviously a cockerel, lol. Really pretty feathering on the breast. Back and tail are darker than the rest of him.




Chick #2:
Looks like my EE but...I know she isn't. Feathered shanks but not as heavy as Chick 1.




Chick #3:
Similar to Chick 2 but darker. She has better shank feathering.




Chick #4:
I *thought* this was a BCMxBCM chick but...no feathers on the shanks at all. Still...some coppering in the breast.




Chick #5

This guy has some slight coppering and LOTS of shank feathering. Much more than either the rooster or hen, if this is a BCMxBCM. (For what its worth...I marked all of the chicks that I knew were BCMxBCM but...I forgot to remark them, lol).

 

[bakingintherain]

Thought you all would like this

 

[Gramma Chick]

Thought you all would like this

It is Cute !

 

[Gramma Chick]

Did I mention my drakes chasing my baby chicks ? like they are trying to kill them ? .
they are always trying to mate with the Sumatras
Usually Ti Ti is the only one defending them ...today I saw one of Ti Ti s chicks she raised also attacking the ducks to defend the baby chicks


BAd Duckies ...I cant wait to take them to Marathon on Sat .