What kind of chickens do I have?

[chickenewbee]

This is my first experience with chickens. I picked up my chicks at Tractor Supply as two day olds, and they were supposed to be Buff Orpingtons. I chose them because, from what I read, it was supposed to be a good breed for beginners, and I like the way they look.

My chicks are now about 10 weeks old. Two of them look similar to Buff Orpingtons, but two of them look like the picture below, a darker color with white feathers speckled throughout.

I lost one of my original birds to a predator and bought a replacement who is about the same age from a local breeder. My new bird looks exactly like the pictures I see of Buff Orpingtons. She is not speckled and is much finer boned than mine. She also has pink legs, while mine all have thick yellow legs. She is also a lighter color, but I figured that could be because of what I feed mine....they get a grower feed with fish meal and linseed meal.

Looking at the two together makes me wonder if I have a different breed of chicken entirely, or maybe a mix. So I thought I would ask people who have more experience than I do with the different breeds. What do you think?

 

[junebuggena]

That is a red sexlink pullet. They look a lot like Buff Orpingtons as chicks. Your Tractor Supply must have mislabeled their bins or mixed up all of their chicks. Happens a lot at feed stores.

 

[chickenewbee]

Thanks for taking a look at her. I think you may be right....I looked up red sexlink and found a chicken that looks very much like mine. I have to say I prefer the Buff Orpington's personality....this girl is REALLY pushy and has a mind of her own. I move my chickens into a makeshift chicken tractor every day so they can eat the grass, and she consistently refuses to let me catch her.

I guess if I want to expand my flock I will stick to the local breeder rather than the feedstore.

 

[junebuggena]

Or you could try ordering directly from a hatchery. As long as you don't order 6 breeds that all look the same as chicks, it should be easy to tell what's what. You don't always get what you pay for with local breeders either. If you do choose a local breeder, make sure they know what they have and keep separate flocks. A breeder that also shows is a plus.

 

[chickenewbee]

Thanks for the suggestion. I've got the chicken bug, now, and I've been looking at different breeds to expand my flock in the future.) I particularly like the Jubilee Orpington (the people I got my Buff from had one, and she was gorgeous) and the silver and gold-laced Wyandottes. although I have read that they are more difficult to work with.

 

[junebuggena]

Check out spangled Orloffs and speckled sussex if you like Jubilee Orpingtons. You can get decent ones from some of the bigger hatcheries. Hatchery laced wyandottes are not nearly as pretty as well bred show stock are.

 

[chickenewbee]

Yes, I saw the Speckled Sussex and I like their look as well. I just have to figure out how to provide enough safe space for my girls before I expand my flock. I lost one chick to one of my dogs (the chihuahua I didn't expect to be a problem!) and a pullet to some unknown predator. Both deaths were quite a blow and I don't want to go through that again( Whatever killed the pullet pulled the feathers out of the other red sexlink and tore her skin, so she has been separated to heal without being pecked. She is doing well, and I hope to return her to her friends next week.

 

[lrbriere]

Would anybody know what mine may be? I don't have any preference but am a bit curious

 

[junebuggena]

Would anybody know what mine may be? I don't have any preference but am a bit curious

 

[lrbriere]

Ty! I thought so once I saw the picture above!!