RE: "Exotic" mystery chick- any ideas to which breed this cutie might be?

[One Chick Two]

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping someone might be able to help identify what breed this baby chick might be. He (we're assuming it's likely a roo) was added as an "exotic" addition to our last order of RIR from Mac Murray hatchery.

Baby roo's 11 days old in the photos. He has slightly mottled black back/ fawn edges/ white coloration (neck/ wingtips), with longer pin feathers, and is fluffier than our RIR chicks but the same general size. He has 4 toes on pale, feathered legs. He has ONE feather on the wingtip. You can see it in the closeup where I'm holding him in the side view. The tiny feather looks like a striped variation of tan and black.

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[farminbigs]

Hi! I am by no means a chicken expert, but your baby looks a lot like the dark version of my Brahma. I have a Buff Brahma and she is built exactly like yours with the feathered legs. She has been VERY slow to develop- while the rest of my birds have gotten most of their feathers she still looks like the others looked weeks ago. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures from when she was that size, but this is what she looks like now. Her wings were really short until about a week or two ago.. She is now about 5 or 6 weeks old.

 

[One Chick Two]

Thank you farminbigs for showing the photo of your lovely Brahma, and explaining her build and slower development! That is so helpful. Trying to figure out a mystery breed is trying! We attempted looking up the chicks for this breed, but didn't see anything that seemed close.

 

[farminbigs]

No problem! She is a fun little girl... Very chatty! From what I have read, her breed is much slower to mature. If you Google Murray McMurray Hatchery, they have a really great list of chickens with feathered legs and even have videos of the corresponding chicks. Yours could even be a Light Brahma? It will probably be easier to tell once the little guy starts getting his plumage.

 

[One Chick Two]

Thank you so much for your kind help farminbigs! We did alot of research, but we just couldn't put a finger on "who" this little fellow might be. He didn't really resemble any breeds I am familiar with, and looking at chick videos didn't help much. (He kind of looked like a blue cochin chick too- but, without the blue.)

If he is a Brahma, I believe he might possibly be a standard-size, golden-striped Brahma?
Like you said,- he is slower to mature than our RIR, who at one month old have much of their new body feathers now. He's been shy, and hides under the other chicks, as he doesn't want to be singled out. He will completely and calmly submit to handling when needed though, but won't seek out my attention or eat out of my hand like many of the others who fly on my hand, arm or head when they want to be stroked. I try to give him attention, but unfortunately, he could take it or leave it- so far. Over time though, he seems more alert and to be more aware of his surroundings (he used to bumble into the walls and other chicks.) We have hope for him yet. lol

 

[One Chick Two]

Here he is now:
The yellow speckled wing feathers are flat and close to his body and smooth, although his pinfeathers are fluffy. He's finally growing in some tail feathers, and the feathers down his legs are flat and close to the body. I'm thinking the strong yellow around his neck might be more yellow than black feathers possibly.

 

[One Chick Two]

Here is a Brahma photo he may possibly resemble, from Moreland Poultry.


or, here is Moreland Poultry's facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/MoorlandPoultry
Search for "Gold Brahma Bantams" (although he is not a bantam, his yellow/ black, speckled/ striped feathers seem close.) Otherwise, he still might have me stumped as to breed. lol

 

[Luckyduck2]

I am guessing either Brahma or some kind of Cochin. The feathered legs are a characteristic of an asiatic breed. And the "bulky" look of the chick makes me think Brahma. Couldn't tell you what color variety.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

It looks like a dark brahma

 

[angel8035]

Try Partridge Cochin