I have 3 "mutt" chicks that I hatched naturally under my Banty Silkie on February 8. They were about 8 to 8 1/2 weeks old in the photo (I took them last week).
Since this was my first time hatching the natural way, I got cheap mutt eggs from a friend. The rooster dad may have been either a Barred Rock (likely as dominate roo) or a young White Leghorn (less likely as a junior roo). The hens were free range and could be anything from RIR, NHR, Gold Star, Black Star, Australope, White Leghorn, Barred Rocks...basically your basic commercial layers....so parentage is pretty unknown other than likely the Barred Rock roo. The eggs that hatched were 2 brown colored and 1 white colored.
I am planning to keep the pullets and give the roos away in a couple of weeks (best guessing as best I can) to my daughter who just got married and is moving to a farm with new hubby. I figure with statistical average of 50/50 for hen or roo on any hatch, I am sure to have at least 1 roo...lucky to have not 2 roos.
So....pics below.
My best guess is #1 is a roo...very large legs compared to the others, fluffier tail, spikier neck mantle, more aggressive but not brave by any means..but the comb is not really that much larger or redder...although at 4 weeks this birds comb was definitely pinkish and a bit larger while the other two were very solid yellow and small.
I'm thinking #2 and #3 are pullets...but #2 does have some spikier neck mantle...but the feathers are really round and flat, and smaller legs, but larger than #3.
#3 is the smallest and acts most hen-ish. His/her tail is growing longer but still more pointed like a hens...possibly like a white leghorn tail.
Thanks for your guesses...and any hints that might help me to choose which birds to give my daughter would be appreciated.
#1...my guess is Roo, big legs, spikier neck feathers, really fluffy tail area, fairly bold
#2...my guess is pullet, but some spikish-ness in the neck feathers, but rest of feathers round and flat
#3....my guess is pullet as well??? Smallest and most fearful of the three
Here are some group shots: #2 on left, #1 on right (you can see the neck feathers on #1)
#2 on left, #3 on right
#1 Roo?, #2 Pullet?, #3 Pullet? left to right order
Left to right, #3 Pullet?, #1 Roo?, #2 Pullet? and Banty foreground
You can see combs...#1 front, #3 next behind, #2 farthest from camera
and tails... left to right #3, middle #2, right #1
Thanks for your guesses!
Lady of McCamley
Since this was my first time hatching the natural way, I got cheap mutt eggs from a friend. The rooster dad may have been either a Barred Rock (likely as dominate roo) or a young White Leghorn (less likely as a junior roo). The hens were free range and could be anything from RIR, NHR, Gold Star, Black Star, Australope, White Leghorn, Barred Rocks...basically your basic commercial layers....so parentage is pretty unknown other than likely the Barred Rock roo. The eggs that hatched were 2 brown colored and 1 white colored.
I am planning to keep the pullets and give the roos away in a couple of weeks (best guessing as best I can) to my daughter who just got married and is moving to a farm with new hubby. I figure with statistical average of 50/50 for hen or roo on any hatch, I am sure to have at least 1 roo...lucky to have not 2 roos.
So....pics below.
My best guess is #1 is a roo...very large legs compared to the others, fluffier tail, spikier neck mantle, more aggressive but not brave by any means..but the comb is not really that much larger or redder...although at 4 weeks this birds comb was definitely pinkish and a bit larger while the other two were very solid yellow and small.
I'm thinking #2 and #3 are pullets...but #2 does have some spikier neck mantle...but the feathers are really round and flat, and smaller legs, but larger than #3.
#3 is the smallest and acts most hen-ish. His/her tail is growing longer but still more pointed like a hens...possibly like a white leghorn tail.
Thanks for your guesses...and any hints that might help me to choose which birds to give my daughter would be appreciated.
#1...my guess is Roo, big legs, spikier neck feathers, really fluffy tail area, fairly bold
#2...my guess is pullet, but some spikish-ness in the neck feathers, but rest of feathers round and flat
#3....my guess is pullet as well??? Smallest and most fearful of the three
Here are some group shots: #2 on left, #1 on right (you can see the neck feathers on #1)
#2 on left, #3 on right
#1 Roo?, #2 Pullet?, #3 Pullet? left to right order
Left to right, #3 Pullet?, #1 Roo?, #2 Pullet? and Banty foreground
You can see combs...#1 front, #3 next behind, #2 farthest from camera
and tails... left to right #3, middle #2, right #1
Thanks for your guesses!
Lady of McCamley
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