Please help? Welsummers, Brown Leghorns, or Speckled Sussex?!

[dweaver96]

Can anyone tell what these babies are yet? Thank you!

 

[dweaver96]

I have a rooster that was given to me too. Anyone know what he is?? Thank you!! I am just getting back into chickens after a 20 year hiatus. The bulk of my flock is RIRs and White Leghorns at this time.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

It's pretty hard to tell the chicks between those breeds at this point...and nothing is leaping out from your photos to indicate much.

The legs look yellow which means either Welsummer or Brown Leghorn, beige/pink should be Speckled Sussex. (However feed store varieties don't always have correct leg colors.)

I am seeing some noticeable white spots on the back of the one check...which COULD indicate that could be a Speckled Sussex but it really is too early to tell.

If you remember, Brown Leghorn will stay dullish brown with gold highlights, Welsummer (girls)...and if you have any Welsummers, you have girls because of the strong eyeliners and head marks...will get salmon in their chest and a more red tone. Speckled Sussex will start throwing spots into their feathers.

Brown Leghorn will have white earlobes; Welsummer will have red.

I can tell you what your roo is not...he's not a Brown Leghorn, no white earlobes; he's not a Welsummer, dark legs.

His stance and general shape reminds me of Game...he might be a Old English Game, standard size, not bantam. I don't know my colors well on that other than what I can see in the breed book, but he sort of fits either the Brown Breasted Red, Ginger Red or Wheaten.

Or he may be a mix...those dark legs and that pattern.

My thoughts,

Lady of McCamley

 

[dweaver96]

Thank you so much!! I actually feel somewhat justified that it is not such an easy task identifying them. I have been futilely pouring over the internet in my attempt and was growing quite frustrated. They just look so much alike and even the feed store where I picked them up did not know what they were. In spite of the fact that I had just picked up some older birds from a breeder, I just could not resist the babies as well. I will have quite an eclectic group by the time I establish my flock. Thanks for the input on my Roo too. It would be nice to know what he is, but regardless, he's a good little man and he is going to have his work cut out for him with all these new little girls to keep up with!! Thanks again, your information was very helpful and I will watch them as they grow to see if I can apply some of your wisdom and figure out what they truly are.

 

[dweaver96]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/content/type/61/id/5359473/

Perhaps a Brown Red Ameraucana Roo?? My pic is blurry but he does have a black "beard" of sorts.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I think that is just hackle and his fluffing to posture...it doesn't look like beard/muff...and that looks to be a single comb....so he can't be an Ameraucana if that is a single comb as he wouldn't fit standard.

If he has a pea comb, then he might be an Easter Egger...but without beard/muff.

I'm not leaping to Easter Egger...I think he looks more game.

Better head shot would help verify.

Lady of McCamley

 

[chicky28]

I have been looking for days to see what kind of brown chicks I have and yours appear the very same to me! I'm too impatient to see how the color will develop over time.

I bought mine at TSC over a week ago and they are at the same stage as yours appear to be. The lady that helped us, told us they were Blue Leghorn pullets. Hard to believe they're going to be Blue Leghorns bc they aren't light in color. Possibly Brown Leghorns?

Btw, mine also have a dark stripe over the top of their beaks. Is that a characteristic of a particular variety ?

 

[dweaver96]

My chicks came from TS almost two weeks ago too and the boy that sold them to me told me one thing and when I called back to verify, I was told another. The sign stated that they could be any one of a number of breeds. I guess we just have to play the waiting game.

Back to the drawing board on my Roo man lol!

 

[dweaver96]

Some better pics of roo's face.....

 

[Lady of McCamley]

That looks like a rose comb and not a pea comb...so definitely not a true Ameraucana.

And while the color is in the right place for the beard/muff...for the brown red Ameraucana...not enough "beard" either.

http://www.ameraucana.org/scrapbook_files/lfbrownredm.jpg

He might be an Easter Egger...an sub-standard Ameraucana, or mix with Ameraucana, however, his body type really reminds me of game...taller lanky stance with a magnificent cascading tail and big sickle feather.

I don't know my games well enough to say...other than of the Old English Games, he resembles the black breasted red the most, but they typically have single combs and not rose, and I don't think have the black coloring where a beard might be...and he doesn't have the large white earlobe (or bantam size) for a Rosecomb Bantam game.

My best guess, as humble as it is, would be a mix...and a really pretty boy.

Lady of McCamley