They said they were Barred Rock's... but IDK???

[AlabamaChickenLady]

Well, TSC said these were "Straight Run Pullets". After some explaining that straight run pullets are not a "Breed", they told me that they are Barred Rock pullets, but I'm thinking more along the lines of Black Australorp chicks. What do you think?

So then today I go to the feed store to check on their Barred Rocks, and this is what I got from them. Still don't think they are Barred Rocks, but I have no idea what they could be. Any ideas??

If any of them are Barred Rocks, I would be thrilled. That is what I originally wanted any how.

 

[SpringChickens]

The top two are NOT barred rocks - possibly black sex-links though.

The bottom four pictures could possibly of barred rocks - but if they are, they are ALL boys.

 

[SpringChickens]

And FYI, if they were labeled "straight run", that means they were just as hatched - not ALL of one sex. No such thing as straight run pullets. Knowing the workers at TSC, they were just straight run - so half boys, half girls. Me thinks you got the raw end of the deal...

Good luck.

 

[mboreham1]

the bottom 3 dont look like the coloring of the barred rock pullets i have. Also, i have found, in GENERAL, the barred rock pullets have darker colored skin down the front of their legs

 

[AlabamaChickenLady]

Thanks for the ID on the first 2 chicks. I was thinking maybe Black Sexlinks too.

I explained to them what the difference was. They had 2 bins and were telling people that the breeds were straight run & pullets. I told them that it had nothing to do with the breeds of the chickens. They had to get a manager to tell me the breeds, but I think he was wrong also.

I was told the second batch was all pullets, so I hope they are not all roosters.

 

[Illia]

Yep, looks like Black Australorps or Black Sex Links (more likely choice A) and the white dotted ones are Barred Rocks, but quite likely boys, sorry.

 

[SpringChickens]

Your top two look like pullets to me, but I'll be shocked if your bottom four are anything but boys.

Things to look for while sexing barred breeds:

Size of the head spot (large and spread out = boy, small and clean edges = girl)

Leg color = the darker the leg, the more likely to be girl

Overall fuzz color = darker = female, lighter = male



Is it too late for you to return them?

 

[AlabamaChickenLady]

Well, thank you for the information. I can not return them now. Once you leave the store with them, they are yours to keep, due to a whole host of diseases that they can get.

But I'm still not convinced the second batch are Barred Rocks. Especially not males. Last fall I ordered some chicks online and the hatchery sent me extra Barred Rock males (for warmth) and they looked nothing like these chicks at all. That's how I fell in love with the Barred Rock breed.

Here's a picture of the Barred Rock males I got last fall. They had a small white spot on their heads, yellow legs, and were mostly black.

These new ones seem to have speckled faces. Kind of marbled. Plus they have yellow area's on them instead of white. I'm so confused.

 

[sherrydeanne]

I'm going to agree that the top are bsl's but the bottoms I'd guess are australorps. I *KNOW* that those head spots are a little weird but these are hatchery birds. The yellow coloring leads me to think they have to be lorps or giants and lorps are much more common. Plus, the eye markings are a bit lorpish. Let us know what they look like in a few weeks

 

[TriciaHowe]

Quote:

I agree 100%
Tops are BSL and the bottoms are Aussies