Starting the breed guessing game with my Surprise order babies

[flockmomma]

I got my Cackle Hatchery Surprise almost a week ago . Not looking for sexing at this point, I know they are too young, but I am making some breed guesses and would like some input (now or in a few weeks when they start to feather out more, I will add more as the time comes). I know this may be (who am I kidding, WILL BE) a crapshoot until they have more grown up feathers in. I am sure I will wear out the Cackle Hatchery catalog over the next few weeks, making guesses, and then second-guessing myself.

I received 46 total birds, 3 of them are turkeys. I lost six chicks due to the careful box handling of the US Postal Service (dripping with sarcasm, of course, the box arrived in horrible shape). I have 40 babies now.

So, here is the run-down of the babies, noting that they didn't send me any Bantams per my request (open country, with hawks that would likely make a quick meal out of Bantams):

6 Easter Eggers, a variety of colors (and chubby cuteness)


2 that are maybe Silver Spangled Hamburgs? They do not have straight combs, they had racing stripes on their backs under those wing feathers, and are VERY fast little critters. Smaller than some of the other chicks, but not "bantam" small.



3 Polish, I am guessing two Blue Polish and one White Crested Black?


2 chicks that I think are Lakenvelder? Straight combs, slate legs, unusual speckling on their heads.



3 turkeys, two that I am certain are Blue Slates, and one that I suspect is also a Blue Slate in a paler baby color (it has grey too in its baby down, but MUCH paler):


2 Silver Laced Wyandottes, maybe? They have a wide, non-straight comb and clean, yellow legs.



2 Silver-Laced Cochins? feather footed, Straight combed


2 German Spitzhaubens? Cavernous nostrils; slight, SLIGHT dome; slate legs; very active.



2 Cochin? Straight comb, feathered feet, normal number of toes


1 Light Brahma chick? feathered feet, rose comb


3 with white spots on their heads, splotchy black on legs, straight combs: unknown breed (could be several, and I have had none of them before)



2 with mottled beak coloring, straight combs (some black tips on the comb), black splotches on legs, not certain they are the same breed



1 that is the same color pattern as my Blue Slate turkeys, keeps getting mixed up with them. Appears to have a straight comb, yellow legs, grey baby down across its back with yellow on its face and stomach.



1 chick. Straight comb, fine stripe on head, wing feathers coming in with some buff-ish colors and other darker colors.



4 chicks with buff colors to their wings, though a couple have some other colors coming through.



1 chick. My smallest. I had others like it that died. Flat-looking comb, VERY active.


Three unknown hooligans with straight combs. Not sure if they are the same breed. One is paler than the others.

 

[saracalderas]

Well, I'm not going to be much help. But they are just adorable! Maybe black splotchy ones barred rocks? Also the buff ones might be buff orpingtons?

 

[daniel rainey]

the white ones at the end are like white leghorns which are very active! and i think that your wright about the hamburges and the polish... but hamburges that i have hatch dont have any stripes

 

[flockmomma]

I already have buff orph hens from the ones I got earlier this year, so a buff Roo wouldn't be bad. We live in the country, on ten acres, with other poultry owners around (I even hear a peafowl calling from a nearby house). If we get leghorns out of the bunch, they will fill our freezer nicely (never really liked the ones my uncle used to have, I like more color in my flock).

I color banded my flock's legs yesterday, so I'll be able to tell them apart as they grow.

 

[flockmomma]

I will post more pics later. I banded them, so I am can tell them apart. I am really curious about the grey/yellow chick that looks like the turkeys.

 

[flockmomma]

I am posting this now, but will be editing it some. It took a while to load photos, and I don't want to have to redo it if my computer does something stupid right now.

1) EE?

2) EE?

3) EE?

4) EE?

5) EE?

6) EE?


7) Silver Spangled Hamburg?


8) Silver Spangled Hamburg?


9) White Crested Black Polish?

10) Blue Polish?

11) Blue Polish?

12) Lakenvelder?

13) Lakenvelder?

14) Blue Slate Turkey

15) Blue Slate Turkey

16) Blue Slate Turkey

17) Silver Laced Wyandotte?

18) Silver Laced Wyandotte?

19) Silver Laced Cochin?


20) Silver Laced Cochin?

21) German Spitzhauben?

22) German Spitzhauben?

23) Light Brahma?


24) Light Brahma?


25) Light Brahma?


26) Barred Rock?

27) Barred Rock?

28) Barred Rock?


29) Australorp or Jersey Giant?

30) Australorp or Jersey Giant?

31) This one has me really curious. Straight comb, blue/grey and yellow baby down, with white feathers coming in.

32) Straight Comb, Clean Legs


33)No clue, straight comb, feathers coming in more colorful than a buff

34) No clue, straight comb, feathers coming in more colorful than a buff

35) Buff Orphington?

36) Buff Orphington?

37) Smallest chick, flattened comb


38) Straight Comb, feathers coming in white or light color

39)Straight Comb, feathers coming in white or light color

40)Straight Comb, feathers coming in white or light color

 

[rinlareine]

Black chicks with white head spots are Barred Rocks and the black, yellow-bellied chicks with the mottled beaks may be Australorps or Jersey Giants. Also, Light Brahmas should have peacombs. You might have three there with the white, featherlegged chicks. I've never seen a cochin with so little down feathers on their legs. Also they look like my light Brahmas did. =)

 

[flockmomma]

You may very well be right about the Cochin/Brahma thing. If so, I am guessing two of one gender and one of the other (one of them for sure has a bigger, more definite pea comb, and the others are a little harder to read). They appear to have dark bases for their new feathers that are coming in at the neck. Looks like my flock is going to have many variations on the black and white theme. Next year I will definitely have to add some red (I had bantam/game cock crosses that were that beautiful red and iridescent green/black, and I liked that).

 

[flockmomma]

Any thoughts on # 31? It is definitely grey and yellow on the baby down, but growing in white feathers.

 

[flockmomma]

In female birds, is it really easy to think a pea comb is a small straight comb? Those ones that are either Light Brahmas or Cochins have small combs, and I cannot tell really easily if it is pea or straight?