What am breed and gender are these chicks?

[lambchop717]

Yeah, the resemblance is almost spot-on. My guess is that they're ultra mutts. Generations of mixes that somehow both parents had Silkie in them but low percentage.

Yes - this sounds very right! The lady we bought them from said she wasn't sure which rooster, or whose rooster made these chicks. There are several free ranging neighbors that visit her ladies. The mom was ultra mutt for sure!

 

[lambchop717]

I notice the black one does have some feathers on the feet, and the combs look a bit odd, so there are a few other traits that could have come from Silkies. I do not see crests or 5th toes or black skin (but even some first generation Silkie crosses have light skin, depending on which parent was the Silkie.)

Some Seramas are silkied too.

Showgirls have silkied feathers (but they also have the other silkie traits.)

I've seen at least one hatchery selling silkie-feathered Easter Eggers (with a mixed selection of other Silkie traits, but not all traits in each bird.)

I think Silkie ancestors on both sides, but several generations ago, is the most likely explanation.

 

[lambchop717]

Oooh! There was a serama looking bantam rooster running around.... Little bitty fella but he was handsome!

 

[NatJ]

The lady we bought them from said she wasn't sure which rooster, or whose rooster made these chicks. There are several free ranging neighbors that visit her ladies. The mom was ultra mutt for sure!

If there are adult chickens with silkied feathers, they are likely to be the parents.
Otherwise, the parents may have normal feathers and each carry the recessive gene for silkied feathers.

 

[lambchop717]

Ooh didn't even think of them. I don't believe they're barred though or at least have never seen any pictures of any with this trait. I also doubt someone could stumble upon some Hedemora as "barnyard mixes". I would be curious if they could at least be part Hedemora though. OP, any idea what the parent flock was or possible parents? No matter what they are, they're special little birds.

There was a cute seramas looking bantam roo running around. There were some huge white roos. The seller thought mom was a gray, fluffy, spotted hen. She was tiny and guarding some new hatchings so I didn't want to disturb her. I'll add that these were all free range. The seller told us roosters from neighboring properties would visit her girls. These are very mixed little ladies.