What Breed of chick is this?

[willows68]

Dear Members, could anyone please tell me what breed chick the following photo is? George, my rooster's background is uncertain. The breeder told me he was Rhode Island Red, Light Sussex, Leghorn and Maran? My hens are all Rhode Island Reds. Any ideas? It's the little brown speckled chick at the back of this picture. These are chicks from my hatch a couple of weeks ago. I also include a picture of George, my rooster and his hand maidens!

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Your chick doesn't have a breed, it's a mutt. It's a RIR crossed with Rhode Island Red, Light Sussex, Leghorn and Maran.

It's not like one breed "comes out" in the chick. It's a blend of the mother and the father. You can't take a cross like yours and come out with a breed. So it's a mutt with all those breeds in its background.

 

[willows68]

So what would you call it? Mutt seems a little harsh for such a pretty little chick! Is it close to anything you have seen before?

 

[juliechick]

No, it is a mixed breed or "mutt". There is nothing wrong with mixed breed chickens. They make great pets and producers. It's just that you can't call it by any specific breed name.

I would call it a "Barnyard Mix".

 

[willows68]

Thank you. I think "barnyard mix" sounds better. I think I will ned to get myself another rooster if I want to seriously breed hens. What would you recommend - a pure bred RIR or something else to ensure I get RIR chicks?

 

[BantamLover21]

I agree with the others--it looks like you have a pretty barnyard mix.

 

[debid]

If you have a black lab and you want black lab pups, you get another black lab. If, instead, you get a poodle, you don't get black lab or poodle puppies, you get labradoodles. Same with chickens.

If you enjoy barnyard mixes and aren't trying to get into serious breeding, just choose a rooster you like the look and temperament of and enjoy the surprise of varying genetics. There is nothing wrong with that other than mixed breed chicks don't command the prices that purebred chicks do and you cannot show them.

If I were starting a breeding program, though, I'd start with chicks from someone who has been working at it a while already. RIRs, especially, look dramatically different from a hatchery than they do from accomplished breeders.

 

[willows68]

So, what about purchasing pure bred fertile eggs and hatching them? I already have RIR laying hens so if I end up with a rooster I could put him with my girls - yes?

 

[sutherland]

If you never said anythjng I would have guessed it was a Easter egger chick looks very similar to many chicks I have had and for the rooster I would have guessed spangle mix

 

[debid]

If you get eggs from good stock, why set yourself back by mixing in the hatchery blood? Hatchery birds really aren't "purebred", they are " breed representative ". Big difference. Yes, you have red hens. But a RIR is auburn.