Please help identify "mystery" breeds from MPC

[JestersEye]

Okay, I'm finally at my wit's end regarding this order from My Pet Chicken. I had ordered three female Blue Andalusian chicks with no substitutions, and received the following three chicks in the mail in September.

Of course, I could tell right off that they had botched the order because there is no way that the red chick could be an Andalusian; since they only come in black, splash, and blue (gray).

Early on, we were assuming that the red "mystery" chick might be an EE, but she doesn't have any puffy cheeks or anything to suggest that. I guess I won't know for sure unless she lays colored eggs. She has feathered in all black, btw. What breed(s) do you all think she looks like now?

16-week-old black pullet (started out as a red & blue/gray chick)

At the time, I was still confident that the other two chicks were the correct breed that I had ordered... but now I'm doubtful of that, as well.

The two blue pullets have good coloring for Blue Andalusians, but they still appear almost entirely combless! Even Andalusian hens have relatively large combs and white earlobes (as shown in the comparison picture of three 12-week-old siblings), but the two from MPC are still quite drab-looking in the face. Do you think they still could be Andalusians? If not, then what breed(s) could they possibly be? They haven't started laying yet, so I can't confirm egg color as a breed trait.

12-week-old Andalusian siblings (two blue cockerals and a splash pullet)

16-week-old "mystery" MPC pullets (full body shot of black pullet is shown above)

Full body shots of two blue pullets from MPC

I'm really frustrated with MPC for apparently getting my entire order wrong, and still not even knowing what they sent me!

 

[Cara]

They look like poor quality Andalusians to me.

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

Your black pullet has the andalusion body type/tail and she has white earlobes - I'd say she's a black andalusion. I can't see the body shape as well on your other two, but with the white earlobes and your order of blue andalusions, I'm sure that's what they are.

It looks like MPC sent you 1 black andalusion & 2 blue andalusions.

Leghorns are also notorius for having large combs, but my leghorn pullets didn't get their red combs & wattles till they were close to laying age. Maybe your new chicks are maturing a little slower because of the winter season. I'm sure your andalusions will get the big combs soon enough.

leghorn pullet at 14 weeks:

18 weeks:

21-22 weeks:

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Day-Old-Baby-Chicks/Andalusian-Standard-Blue-p357.aspx

This came off the MPC website (link above)
"Please be aware that the color blue does not hatch true in chickens. Blue is a diluting gene for black. So, 50% of your Blue Andalusians will hatch blue, and 25% will be black. The last 25% will be "splash," having received two diluting genes. Splash is a very light color, pale blue or white with "splashes" of black and darker blue in the feathers, especially in the wings and tail. PLEASE KEEP THIS IN MIND WHEN YOU ORDER! Not all of your blues will actually be blue!"

It looks like MPC sent the right order to you after all.

 

[Kanga77510]

Arizona, you have the same color amber Amerucana that I do. What do you call that mix? (the last photo in your line up)

 

[JestersEye]

I have NEVER heard of a Blue Andalusian starting out as a red chick. Other Andalusian breeders here on BYC confirmed that it just doesn't happen. Also, my 12-week-old Andy chicks already have very large combs and earlobes, and they've been living in the same cold conditions as the 16-week-old MPC chicks. I've just never seen Andalusians with such little comb growth at this age.

If these chicks really did come from a hatchery's Andalusian flock, then it must be poor quality that was crossed with other breeds somewhere along the line.

Oh well, I guess I won't be using them for breeding stock... but at least they should be fine for keeping the roosters happy.

 

[JestersEye]

Quote:
I understand how the "blue gene" works, in that the color blue is the result of codominant traits. The colors black and splash will produce blue offspring, but the color doesn't breed true because two blue birds will produce black, splash, and blue chicks. In no way, should any of the above color combinations produce a red chick, however.

 

[poultrypatch]

Hey...at least you got pullets !!! LOL In my order I had ordered 3 EE roos....got an additional 3 pullets.
Ordered 5 SLW....pullets.....got 4 pulllets and 1 roo. And that roo is nothing but a PROBLEM CHILD !!! At 14 wks he became a sex maniac. Poor girls missing feathers. I just moved him into the other coop with 26 wk old RIR. They're keeping him in his place.
By the way, ordered the 3 roos to go with 7 EE girls I had ordered. I figured probably only 1 little guy would survive. They all did. as pullets. I didn't buy where you did.
Liz
Rochester, MA

 

[bishopschickens]

Recessive genes love to come out in chicks at some point or another. Especially when you are dealing with the blue gene. I have seen red, barring and spotting come out at one point or another and then fade. I deal a lot with the blue genes and even in my true blue Marans, my blue polish and BLRW. I sometimes get a red spot on the head of my blue marans that goes away. Remember that the blue gene began with a white chicken and a buff chicken.

 

[JestersEye]

Quote:
Oh yes, I am VERY glad they all turned out to be pullets, as ordered!

Unfortunately, two of the three Andalusian chicks I hatched turned out to be cockerals. Just my luck!

So far, everyone is getting along with only minimal posturing during the day, and still roost together at night. I may eventually have to rehome one or both, but so far so good.

I also hatched out a beautiful Blue Orp cockeral and two pullets (from Gabbard Farms eggs). Those three are my new all-time favorites, not only for their awesome plumage, but also because they are so friendly and tame.

They actually come over and wait to be picked up and petted when I go into the coop. The little cockeral has even pulled on my pantleg to get my attention. I feel like they're my own babies... I LOVE them so much!