Welsummer, Speckled Sussex, or Light Brown Leghorn?

[KABerries]

I received an assortment of rare chicks and brown egg laying chicks from Meyer Hatchery - 16 total. I'm trying to identify them now. I've got this adorable little girl who I can't decide if she's a Welsummer, a Speckled Sussex, or a Light Brown Leghorn. I'm leaning toward the Welsummer, as her coloring is a bit light for the other two.

(A few things she is not, as she was not "banded" by Meyer: Blue Orpington; Barnevelder; Frost White Legbar; Jubilee Orpington; Blue Copper Marans; Golden Cuckoo Marans; Black Copper Marans; White Marans; Blue Ameraucana; Swedish Flower; Cream Legbar; Patridge Penedesenca; Blue Splash Marans; Olive Egger.)

Anybody have an educated guess?

 

[JB8907]

Chicken...Definitely a chicken

 

[KABerries]

Chicken...Definitely a chicken

HA! You got me snort laughing on that one.

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Chicken...Definitely a chicken

A cute one too!

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

She appears to be a Welsummer chick.

 

[KABerries]

While we're at it, here's another. Very similar looking, but with crisper, stronger markings and more black markings on face. She also has a white speckle on each eyelid (at first I thought it was in the eye, but it's a color patch on the eyelid). She's very sassy for a tiny chick

, and actually looks more like the band-identified cream legbar (but, again, face markings more dramatic). Any suggestions on breed?

 

[Alexandra33]

I'm thinking they're both Speckled Sussex....see the classic white "bib" that indicates future spangling? SS (and any spangled bird, for that matter) always feather in white in this region.

Here are a couple of my Welsummers vs. last year's Speckled Sussex.

~Alex

 

[Trux]

file image of welsummer chicks

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

They are too young to tell. Those three breeds look very similar at this age, and with hatchery birds, you can't really go by the markings. Post pics of the comb and earlobes at 8 weeks.

You will be able to tell pretty soon if it's a SS or not...as it feathers out.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I agree with Crazy for Chickens.

It is too hard to tell with hatchery chicks as the markings won't be accurate.

Typically, Speckled Sussex should have beige legs while the Welsummer or Leghorn should have yellow...but that rule is broken consistently with hatchery stock.

So bib will not be an indicator either.

Give photos when juvenile feathers are fully in and so we can see earlobe colors.

Leghorn will have white earlobe while the Sussex or Welsummer will have red.

LofMc