Went to buy Australorpes and ended up with black sex-linked

[MaLoTu]

The store where I got them only had one shipment and they were sex-links. I don't know what breeds they were bred from. Is there anything that I could know at this point? What color will they end up being? I thought they would be black, but it looks like they turn brown, based on pictures I have seen.

One thing I must say is that some of them are already really friendly. They come up to my hand in the brooder and one even nestles next to it.

My BOs are not affectionate in any way, shape, or form. I have a little water spoon that i was giving the chicks just a bit of sugar water if they looked like they were dragging, I put the water on one of the week-old BOs beak and it wiped it on the shavings! It was pretty funny, but it demonstrates how much they do not want to be messed with by me.


-Marie

 

[burgerusmc]

Marie, they should end up being black with a little gold here and there. If you bought them for layers, you'll be happy because they are great egg layers!

 

[MaLoTu]

That is good to know. They are to be layers. I normally wouldn't have rushed into a decision, but the store gets irregular shipments and I didn't want the flock to be too spread apart in age (for my sake, just the resources I have available).
It took me months to decide on orpingtons and australorps .... I guess this was meant to be!