Trouble figuring out who is who....

[Ann Perkhens]

I ordered 5 blue rocks, 4 Plymouth rocks, 2 olive eggers, and 4 black australorps. I am having trouble telling who is who, as the company sent two extra eggers, so the black colored ones I am struggling to tell apart.

Bird type one

Bird type two

Bird three

And I’m pretty sure this is the blue rock.

 

[nuthatched]

2 is the barred rock, 3 and 1 are australorp , though 1 could be the olive egger.

 

[Ann Perkhens]

2 is the barred rock, 3 and 1 are australorp , though 1 could be the olive egger.

Are there any ways to identify the olive eggers? Like any identifying characteristics that might set them apart from the australorps? Thanks for your help!

 

[JedJackson]

1 and 2 may be olive eggers

3 is a barred rock

4 is an Australorp

5 is a blue rock

Olive eggers are variable, as they are hybrids. The reason I think 1 and 2 may be olive eggers instead of Australorps is that they seem to have less white about their faces and on their bellies than Australorps usually have. But it's not certain.

Another thing to look at is comb type-- difficult to detect in very young chicks. Australorps will always have single combs, whereas olive eggers may have pea combs, though not always.

 

[EmmaRainboe]

Here are my guesses:

Olive Egger (bird 1)

Barred Plymouth Rock (bird 2)

Australorp (bird 3)

Blue Rock (bird 4)

 

[EverV]

Here are my guesses:

Olive Egger (bird 1)
View attachment 2499078


Barred Plymouth Rock (bird 2)
View attachment 2499080


Australorp (bird 3)
View attachment 2499082

Blue Rock (bird 4)
View attachment 2499087

Agreed. Question for anyone who can answer-the white dot on the BR's head is the sexing gene, correct?

 

[EmmaRainboe]

Agreed. Question for anyone who can answer-the white dot on the BR's head is the sexing gene, correct?

That's a barring spot, which is attached to the Z sex chromosome. Meaning it can be used in making sexlinks if you cross a barred female to a non-barred male.

Or are you asking if you can tell gender by the spot? That feature has been bred out of most hatchery stock, you can really only rely on it if they are really good quality from a breeder.