Surprise chicks, help please!

[3riverschick]

This was my first thought, but Google scared me out of it. Google is terrifying and always expects the worst, lol. My girls are pretty young so I'm not sure if that would make a difference. I think I'd be really nervous with them roaming around all day, too. The girls have the run of the yard until quarter to darkish, all of the other animals are perfectly fine with the girls but I worry these will look too much like little squeaky toys or something.

If they are young females, then they probably too young to accept them. A hen already laying would be best. No, they should not free range the chicks. They should be a confined space with a mature hen. Failing that, raise them yourself, smile. Yes, you misunderstood. Feed them all they want every day, smile.
Best,
Karen

 

[3riverschick]

Hi,
Ok take a look at this website. see the pic of the feather sexing? Ignore his advice that 3 days is too late. I have been able to do it thru 4 days old with no problem. Not every strain of fowl can be feather sexed. That said it looks like the dark chipmunk striped chick is a cockerel ( male) and the lighter colored chick is a pullet ( female). Now think back on the day you got them. Did their wings look like that then? I think maybe so.
https://survivalfarm.wordpress.com/2011/05/25/chicken-sex-feather-sexing-day-old-chicks/
That said, the striped chick is based on the e+ allele. That's the name of the basic canvas upon which all the other colors in that chicks color palate are painted. There are a bunch of different "canvases that color can be painted upon. Some names are eWh ( Wheaten) ; e+ ( wildtype) ; eb ( Brown) ; ey ( recessive Wheaten) ; EE ( Black) ; ER ( Birchen), and several more.
So for a chicken color pattern , here's how it works:
1. one has a basic allele chosen.
2. Then color(s) are genetically "painted" on the allele.
3. Then, often ( not always) some "modifier genes" step in to change the pure tint of the color....
or add dots , stripes, lacing, or some other modification(s) to the basic color.
Color analysis of the darker chipmunk chick:
e+ allele. (wildtype) I don't think it carries the eb ( Brown allele because that gene creates as brown helmet on the chick and this chick still has a stripe across the top of its skull. Albeit the stripe is not crisply and sharply defined as it would be if the chick was pure ( carrying 2 copies) for e+. So I think this chick may be 1 copy of e+ and 1 copy of eWh ( Wheaten) allele for it's basic color canvas. ( that's ok, e+ and eWh have an affinity for each other and make a pretty chick. ) Also the eye stripe which shows up on e+ birds is less dark and sharply defined as would be see in the male e+ chick. I think this chick will grow out to look like a Black-Breasted Red ( wildtype) rooster. http://tinyurl.com/qx3x6rj
( pic from this website: http://tinyurl.com/q44vn3m ) Frankly, it's just a lovely color and one of my favorites. It is the basic color from which all other poultry colors descend.
Color analysis of the lighter chick. This is an interesting color. poultry go thru 3 sets of feathers before they are finished growing. Chick down, juvenile feathering, and adult feathering. Sometimes we never know the final color until it gets it's adult feathers. I think that may be the case here. There are some modifiers at work on the basic allele. See the modified chipmunk stripe on the chick's back. This chick will feather out much lighter. It almost looks like a "white pearl" color but built on the eWh ( Wheaten allele ins tread of a White allele.

 

[3riverschick]

That lighter chick's coloring is real interesting I am gonna go get Marvin ( BYC: nicalandia) to see what he thinks. He's a human genetics calculator and can tell us what this chick's color genetics are. I emailed Marvin, hopefully his schedule will allow him to stop by. If he comes, feel free to ask him anything about poultry color. He's extremely knowledgeable.
Best,
Karen

 

[Nickles]

This is all so very cool. I really really appreciate all the help! I got medicated chick starter today, they're loving it. They're kind of cows, I should just keep a fresh bowl filled and let them eat what they want? It's kind of surprising how much they're eating, lol. They're so tiny!

 

[Nickles]

That lighter chick's coloring is real interesting I am gonna go get Marvin ( BYC: nicalandia) to see what he thinks. He's a human genetics calculator and can tell us what this chick's color genetics are. I emailed Marvin, hopefully his schedule will allow him to stop by. If he comes, feel free to ask him anything about poultry color. He's extremely knowledgeable.
Best,
Karen

That would be cool, I'll grab a picture of Susan because I'd love to know what's up with her, too. Her sisters are dark and she's pure white, beautiful bird but confusing. She's quite manly, which I've read can be normal. I'd swear she was a rooster if she hadn't proved me wrong by laying eggs.

 

[Nickles]

The camera on my phone is terrible, and I forgot I was going to do this before it started getting dark, but here is Susan.

She's really white, and her comb is very red, I don't know why she looks so discolored. Actually I've tried getting decent pictures of her before because I think she's so pretty, but she's never been very photogenic..

Am I making this up, or does she totally look like a rooster? She crows and everything. But, she's laid about 6 eggs so far, she just started.

 

[junebuggena]

The camera on my phone is terrible, and I forgot I was going to do this before it started getting dark, but here is Susan.

She's really white, and her comb is very red, I don't know why she looks so discolored. Actually I've tried getting decent pictures of her before because I think she's so pretty, but she's never been very photogenic..

Am I making this up, or does she totally look like a rooster? She crows and everything. But, she's laid about 6 eggs so far, she just started.

That bird has male specific feathering. Those long, thin feathers near the base of the tail are male saddle feathers. Someone else in your coop is laying the eggs. They aren't coming from 'Susan.'

 

[keesmom]

That bird has male specific feathering. Those long, thin feathers near the base of the tail are male saddle feathers. Someone else in your coop is laying the eggs. They aren't coming from 'Susan.'

I agree. She looks like a rooster because "she" IS male, and you have a pullet (or more) who is beginning to lay.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Yup Susan is a Sam for certain. Looks to me to be a leghorn male.

It is amazing how much the little ones eat. Yes keep food available 24/7 they eat a lot because it is needed. They are going to be growing in leaps and bounds. Fresh food and water all the time is very important. If they are scratching the food out of the dish and all over the floor where they cannot find it you can put it in a cardboard tray about an inch tall on the sides and at least 10 inches by 10 inches square. (Larger ones work too) This will help them find the food if they start scattering it in the bedding. I use this method for the first week and change the box when it becomes soiled.

What an amazing surprise to have show up. I am glad you are willing to take them in and do what they need.

 

[Nickles]

I agree. She looks like a rooster because "she" IS male, and you have a pullet (or more) who is beginning to lay.

That's what I thought! She's a total man. SO many people have convinced me otherwise. That means one of my other girls is pulling double duty then, so I guess that's cool. More incentive to get more hens, I don't want Susan (until we come up with a better name, lol) to drive them crazy. Why would he sit on them though? I admit I don't know too much about chickens, but I thought only hens would sit on the eggs. I've found him (that seems so weird now) in a nest box sitting on one a total of 8 times.