This Rooster Ilustrates Why It's Difficult to Judge Mixes

[Amer]

Something is a Sumatra, and a Wyandotte. Blindly guessing before I go to the page... (for the first cockerel)

 

[JedJackson]

I'll give you an easier one to make up for C.J., okay? This one I created myself here so I'm 100% positive of who the parents were, only two breeds involved in this cross so you'll get it. The blue one and the black one are full brother and sister. Easy-peasy on this one, no mysteries here, I bet. I loved this cross and really miss the parents involved. By the way, the big guy in the group is the same exact age as the rest in that first photo! I called him the draft horse of chicks and it fit. His owner named him Sherman, as in Sherman tank.

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I would guess Araucana crossed with Marans.. One parent has to have a pea comb and one has to have feathered legs, since no pure breed I know has both. They look rumpless, so to me that means Araucana. The Marans part is just a guess. They would bring the lightly feathered legs and also, in combination with Araucana, the currently popular olive eggs.

 

[speckledhen]

Now, think about how humongous this rooster is, though, compared to his other breed hatchmates in that first photo. That is one clue. An Araucana is quite a small bodied bird. These both have tails, just not upright ones.
Other photos of the siblings (sorry for the grainy quality, this was years and many cameras ago)

This picture holds another clue-those males in the center are his half-brothers, but pure, same sire. I wish I still had that breed to make the cross again, but alas, I have only the breed of the mother of this big mixed boy, though in a different color.

 

[JedJackson]

Now, think about how humongous this rooster is, though, compared to his other breed hatchmates in that first photo. That is one clue. An Araucana is quite a small bodied bird. These both have tails, just not upright ones.
Other photos of the siblings (sorry for the grainy quality, this was years and many cameras ago)
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This picture holds another clue-those males in the center are his half-brothers, but pure, same sire. I wish I still had that breed to make the cross again, but alas, I have only the breed of the mother of this big mixed boy, though in a different color. View attachment 1189733 View attachment 1189734

So the blue birds in the middle are purebred, have single combs and clean legs. Which means the mother would have to have a pea comb and feathered legs, which means it would have to be a Brahma. And I guess the father would be a black, blue or splash large fowl breed like the chicks in the middle, so probably Orp or Jersey Giant.

 

[speckledhen]

So the blue birds in the middle are purebred, have single combs and clean legs. Which means the mother would have to have a pea comb and feathered legs, which means it would have to be a Brahma. And I guess the father would be a black, blue or splash large fowl breed like the chicks in the middle, so probably Orp or Jersey Giant.

Bingo. Sire, Blue Orpington (Sandhill Preservation stock) Mother, Buff Brahma (average hatchery stock)
Mom & Dad. Suede died in 2012, Caroline died a year ago Oct at almost 10 yrs old.
The daughters were solid color, males black or blue with red/gold in hackles and wingbows. Great birds and BIG birds.

 

[JedJackson]

Bingo. Sire, Blue Orpington (Sandhill Preservation stock) Mother, Buff Brahma (average hatchery stock)
Mom & Dad. Suede died in 2012, Caroline died a year ago Oct at almost 10 yrs old.
The daughters were solid color, males black or blue with red/gold in hackles and wingbows. Great birds and BIG birds.

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Nice looking birds! For some reason I always get mixed up and forget that there is a breed with pea combs and feathered legs, Brahmas.

I'd be curious to see how the mixes looked as adults. Probably very pretty.

 

[speckledhen]

I know I have some, let me search all my old files. The roosters were humongous, but since I did not keep one, I have to find a photo that someone sent me later. This is the black pullet grown up. She was a great broody.

 

[speckledhen]

Found one! I never had one this color, only the blues and blacks, but someone who hatched eggs from them sent me this photo and I wish I could recall who it was.

 

[JedJackson]

Found one! I never had one this color, only the blues and blacks, but someone who hatched eggs from them sent me this photo and I wish I could recall who it was.

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Both are gorgeous birds. I love the shape and feathering on them, and the rooster has beautiful colors.

 

[speckledhen]

Both are gorgeous birds. I love the shape and feathering on them, and the rooster has beautiful colors.

I thought so, too. The hens looked like blue or black Brahmas with sometimes a little ticking in the chest area. The roosters were giants and I'm told, very sweet, which doesn't surprise me. Suede was a big teddy bear of a rooster. Sure miss him. I would make that cross with my current Blue Partridge rooster if I had any Orpington hens left. My last Blue Orp hen died a couple of months ago, but she was almost 10 and had not laid an egg since Suede died.
Anyway, it's certainly easier when there are just two breeds involved. Suede had a huge flaming red RIR/Buff Orpington cross hen that came from some Orpington exhibition stock. She was probably 12 lbs by herself, big old gal. None of my Brahma hens have hit her size yet. This was their son, Hector, who was taken right off the front porch of my friend's house in KY by what we think was a bobcat. I named one of my BR roosters after him. He was always bringing up the rear of the flock at roost time as 2nd in command to her Blue Orpington so was the most vulnerable, I guess. But he was 12 lbs and not a feather was left anywhere. Funny how you can actually see a resemblance to his sire-they have the same head, just in different colors.