Totally confused about flock dynamics, eggs, etc - please help me sort this out!

[LaurelC]

Had an easter egger and a red sex link for a few weeks(I was getting regular green eggs, and then a couple of soft shelled brown eggs laid from the roost). Purchased 3 "new" chickens(all chickens came from the same people this summer). The new chickens are what looks like a black langshan (but has white streaks on head/neck/wings, so I am assuming it's a mix), a black copper marans, and a speckled sussex pullet who is still quite young.






I don't have a great setup to separately house the 3 new birds, they all came from the same original (huge) flock, and since I was outnumbering the existing birds with newcomers, just added them all in at once. There was a bit of squabbling, but after a week, there hasn't been hardly any fighting. The EE is dominant, the RSL is next, then the BCM, with the Lanshan and SS taking up the bottom slots in the pecking order. The BCM and the RSL will both squat for me. None of the others will.

Here is my confusion. BYC Langshan thread has told me that the Langshan mix is a male. That is OK. I will have to get rid of it if it starts crowing, but so far, it isn't talkative. It is also at the bottom of the pecking order. The bird has pointy neck and saddle feathers, but the tail doesn't have any of those long sickle feathers and there are no spurs. Normally, I'd count on this being proof that the bird is a cockerel and go with it, but the previous owner swears up and down that the bird has been laying eggs (I haven't seen it in the nest box yet) and has offered to refund me if it ends up being a cockerel. Also, this white egg showed up in my nest box, then another one 5 days later - and then none for the last few weeks. (I know that langshans lay pinkish brown, but if it's a mix, perhaps white eggs?) The only other option would be the RSL, but I have personally seen light brown soft shelled eggs come from her. The black copper marans has recently started laying the signature dark eggs.


The easter egger has recently taken on rooster duties of the flock. When they free range, she does the "tidbit" noise to get their attention (unsuccessfully) when she finds something great to eat, and has started mounting the BCM and "mating" her.



Ok, so questions -
Is the Langshan-ish bird a cockerel? It makes a kind of honking noise, but is at the very bottom of the pecking order.
The RSL - is she just too old to lay?
Is it possible for a rooster to be at the bottom of the pecking order with a hen at the top?

 

[duckmeister]

Chickens always lay the same colored egg, so if the langshan-is is laying the white egg, then it's a hen. Rooster would be flock dominant unless he's very young. That's my best guess.

 

[LaurelC]

Chickens always lay the same colored egg, so if the langshan-is is laying the white egg, then it's a hen. Rooster would be flock dominant unless he's very young. That's my best guess.

That was my understanding too. Considering I'm getting green from the EE, light brown softies from the RSL, and dark brown from the BCM, it's gotta be the langshan laying the huge white ones, right? The pointy neck and saddle feathers seem a bit confusing.

The only other thing is the RSL has white earlobes, which is supposed to indicate white eggs, but we got a few very thin shelled brown ones...

 

[aart]

That was my understanding too. Considering I'm getting green from the EE, light brown softies from the RSL, and dark brown from the BCM, it's gotta be the langshan laying the huge white ones, right? The pointy neck and saddle feathers seem a bit confusing.

The only other thing is the RSL has white earlobes, which is supposed to indicate white eggs, but we got a few very thin shelled brown ones...

Ears and Ear Lobes often get confused...your RSL(second pic?) has red ear lobes...which usually = Brown Eggs.
Sorry, not sure about your other questions.
Here's my Wellie girl with labels ear parts.

 

[LaurelC]

Ears and Ear Lobes often get confused...your RSL(second pic?) has red ear lobes...which usually = Brown Eggs.
Sorry, not sure about your other questions.
Here's my Wellie girl with labels ear parts.

Thank you! This is exactly what I needed. Makes me feel a lot better about the langshan! Sounds like despite the pointy neck and saddle feathers, it's likely a female, considering we have "confirmed" egg color from the other laying-age girls.