Rooster or...

[junebuggena]

He is massive!

 

[Michael OShay]

That chick is huge for 6 weeks old. That looks like a Cornish Cross cockerel.

I agree.

 

[SoORchick73]

Ok it's definitely a HE then. Lol It's not a Cornish cross though

 

[Michael OShay]

Ok it's definitely a HE then. Lol It's not a Cornish cross though

I've never seen a six week old chick that large with legs that thick except Cornish cross roosters, and since he is white with what appears to be a single comb, he certainly looks like a Cornish cross. If the parents are an EE and an Ameraucana, I would have expected the chick to have a pea comb.

 

[SoORchick73]

Michael, I really should have stated all my original hens and one Roo came from a feed store marked as Americaunas, but from what I understand, when you buy those labeled as such from a feed store you are essentially getting an EE. He was the offspring of the original "Americaunas" I purchased - so his parents are both technically EEs? I have a solid white hen from that original batch, looks a lot like a female version of him, I'll see if I can find a photo. I kept "him" hoping I'd get another like her since she is my favorite hen.

 

[SoORchick73]

This is my favorite white "Americauna" I purchased from a feed store...I was hoping the little guy in original pics would be a mini-me of her

 

[Michael OShay]

Michael, I really should have stated all my original hens and one Roo came from a feed store marked as Americaunas, but from what I understand, when you buy those labeled as such from a feed store you are essentially getting an EE. He was the offspring of the original "Americaunas" I purchased - so his parents are both technically EEs? I have a solid white hen from that original batch, looks a lot like a female version of him, I'll see if I can find a photo. I kept "him" hoping I'd get another like her since she is my favorite hen.

You are correct; Ameraucanas from feed stores are EEs, and if your chick is the offspring of two EEs, then that would explain how he could have a single comb. Each of his EE parents could have passed their single comb gene (even if they themselves had pea combs) to your chick. Also, just as crossing a Cornish rooster with a White Rock hen will produce offspring that grow abnormally fast and large, so your chick's EE parents which are hybrids could have passed the genes of their brown egg laying parent off to your chick in such a combination to have produced similar results. I've seen a lot of unusual things in 50 years of raising chickens, but this chick is a first for me. )

 

[SoORchick73]

You are correct; Ameraucanas from feed stores are EEs, and if your chick is the offspring of two EEs, then that would explain how he could have a single comb. Each of his EE parents could have passed their single comb gene (even if they themselves had pea combs) to your chick. Also, just as crossing a Cornish rooster with a White Rock hen will produce offspring that grow abnormally fast and large, so your chick's EE parents which are hybrids could have passed the genes of their brown egg laying parent off to your chick in such a combination to have produced similar results. I've seen a lot of unusual things in 50 years of raising chickens, but this chick is a first for me. )

Wow 50 years! That's amazing! I saved this post (I'm a NICU nurse but have a lot to learn yet about chickens) I saved a screen shot of that info. We started with chickens 5 years ago (moved and started over) and I cant imagine myself without them now. I really appreciate all your helpful replies. I've learned so much here.

 

[SoORchick73]

Here he is with the other two Pullets born the same day... (5/18)

 

[SoORchick73]

One last pic...with the surrogate BSL