Welsummer or Olive Egger?

[WingItRanch]

I have 2 pullets, approximately 17 weeks old, that I purchased from a local poultry farm. I was looking to purchase Welsummers but the girl warned me that they recently had Olive Eggers that were almost indistinguishable from Welsummers. I didn't mind either way but I've been researching and for the life of me.. I can't figure it out. They look just like Welsummers but they don't have yellow legs. They don't have any visible traits of a blue egg layer gene. No puffy cheeks, no head tuff typical of a Cream Legbar.

Any ideas? If not, I'll just have to see what color the eggs turn out to be...

 

[african chickens]

They remind me of green legged partridges

 

[The Moonshiner]

With white shanks they're not welsummers.
But I'm not entirely convinced they're OEs either

 

[WingItRanch]

With white shanks they're not welsummers.
But I'm not entirely convinced they're OEs either

Any idea what they could be then?...

 

[The Moonshiner]

Any idea what they could be then?...

I really don't.
White skin is dominant over yellow so if they were OEs and it was a white skinned breed crossed with a Welsummer then that would account for the white shanks. But as you stated there's no obvious traits from a blue egg laying breed.
Also that pattern isn't the most dominant so a lot of crosses wouldn't keep that pattern.
I'm to the point of trying to figure a white skinned breed that comes in a duckwing pattern without other genes that would be showing. ATM I'm at a loss.

@Amer

 

[WingItRanch]

I really don't.
White skin is dominant over yellow so if they were OEs and it was a white skinned breed crossed with a Welsummer then that would account for the white shanks. But as you stated there's no obvious traits from a blue egg laying breed.
Also that pattern isn't the most dominant so a lot of crosses wouldn't keep that pattern.
I'm to the point of trying to figure a white skinned breed that comes in a duckwing pattern without other genes that would be showing. ATM I'm at a loss.

@Amer

Fascinating! Maybe they are Welsummers not bred to standard.. which wouldn't surprise me because the place I got them is a small family-run place and they couldn't even tell the difference between their OE and Welsummers.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I have 2 pullets, approximately 17 weeks old, that I purchased from a local poultry farm. I was looking to purchase Welsummers but the girl warned me that they recently had Olive Eggers that were almost indistinguishable from Welsummers. I didn't mind either way but I've been researching and for the life of me.. I can't figure it out. They look just like Welsummers but they don't have yellow legs. They don't have any visible traits of a blue egg layer gene. No puffy cheeks, no head tuff typical of a Cream Legbar.

Any ideas? If not, I'll just have to see what color the eggs turn out to be...

What hatchery is used? Maybe Standard Old English Games?

They're white shanked, & come in that color.

 

[WingItRanch]

It's a tiny place called Meyer Poultry Farm in Shepherd, TX. (Not to be confused with Meyer Hatchery). They don't have a website. Just a blind older man and his granddaughter. I'm not sure if they buy from elsewhere and incubate or if they breed themselves.

 

[Amer]

I am guessing the Olive Eggers are WelsummerxEE crosses.
Since EEs can look like anything, they could lack beards, can be duckwing, can have the single comb gene, can have white skin.

 

[Amer]

Possibly they used Whiting True Blue, which is a glorified EE.