Official BYC Poll: Which of These White Chicken Breeds Do You Have?

[Periwinkles]

I have some pure white chickens with purple-blackish skin. No idea what mixed breeds they are but they’re very docile and loving

 

[the_peanut_coop]

After we lost Opal (almost pure white Sapphire Splash -avatar picture) to a hawk, we vowed no more white birds. Then we hatched Zuko, a very unexpected recessive white EE

View attachment 3231294

so gorgeous, looks like an Angel

 

[Poodlemum]

Finding white Jersey Giants has been impossible this year! Had no idea they were so rare… Our first ever chickens were WJG and we lost one during flockdown this spring, they were both such amazing girls. I neeeeeeed more

 

[african chickens]

this is my white hen her name is Whitney just like her sisters who are not white hens we have no clue what kind of chicken she is

 

[Chuckie chicken]

I don't have pics, but I will be getting 2 Azure Blues

Three coming my way as well.

 

[mldlm]

I have two white leghorns. One is Henrietta and right now, she is completely hormonal due to the fact that she started laying three days ago. Lol This is a picture that is about a month old.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

View attachment 3231198This little is a barnyard mix. Dad was a Sapphire Gem. Possible moms are: ISA Brown, Golden Comet, Welsummer, Sapphire Gem, Black Sexlink, or Cream Legbar(roo) x Black Copper Marans. Any guesses on who the mom could be to get a white chick?

Theoretically, the Legbar cross hen could have a copy of recessive white from either parent as both breeds have a White variety from recessive white, and Sapphire Gems being part Plymouth Rock could maybe also carry the gene because White in Plymouth Rocks is also recessive white, but I would personally assume that this is actually the effect of dominant white. I would guess this chick is from either the ISA or the Comet. Both have a copy of dominant white, which in combination with the Sapphire Gem (giving the chick a copy of extended black at the E locus to cover any patterning genes from the mother's side) would make for a primarily white chick. As the little one grows and matures, you'll probably see some red start to show through in the neck and chest, and flecks of either black or blue as well, depending on which of those genes was inherited from the father.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I have some pure white chickens with purple-blackish skin. No idea what mixed breeds they are but they’re very docile and loving

I have no idea, either, but they are beautiful! I love the contrast between their skin color and the white plumage!

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

The white are SOOOO pretty; alas, we have none. I have read how the darks are better for camo and since ultimately they will be out and about on the property I thought it best to believe those that have gone before.

But, the whites are gorgeous. It was all I could do to hit the dark button for my brahmas versus the light. Ahh cha chaaaaaa.

The camo reasons don't seem to correspond to the anecdotal evidence... In mixed flocks, others and myself have lost brown not white hens to overhead predators.

The true, best survival trait (so far) seems to be skittishness and my Leghorns are very good at getting worried (often over nothing) and taking cover. The braver hens that defiantly wander out with all their bravado are the ones that get spotted by the predators. I wish you (of course) to never lose any, and I encourage you to adopt Leghorns. They have the sweetest disposition and much easier to coax into coming in for the night. They flock more, so they are less likely to be out, alone, lost in thoughts, wandering in a bad place.

Of course, in the end, they will all steal your hearts and make you a nervous wreck trying to protect them.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

I was trying to research to find which breeds may have recessive white genes, but no results. Chicken genetics are quite interesting.

All bird genetics are interesting, aren't they? Years ago, my 1st pure white pigeon baby...her parents were dark brown mama & black papa...each only had 1 very small, white feather! I had to look for those little white feathers, too, as they weren't obvious. I thought it was just amazing they produced a totally white feathered youngster. I had a pair of Cockatiels, mama Pearl, papa Pied, (both a combo of grey, yellow & white patterns all over & they produced all Lutino (all solid pale yellow) babies. I find recessive genes amazing, a nice surprise.