What will my chicks look like?

[Bitemynekk]

Hi all. I have let mt Araucana's and Wyandottes roam together and now have my Glw sitting on eggs. My roo is a lavender Araucana (with a little brown on him)and I'm wondering what the chicks will look like? This is the first time I've had a hen sit on eggs so it's rather exciting. Xxoo

 

[Ridgerunner]

There are many different colors and patterns recognized for Wyandottes somewhere in the world (black, blue, buff, buff Columbian, Columbian, golden laced, partridge, silver laced, silver penciled, black breasted red, blue red, lemon blue, barred, brown red, birchen, blue laced red and buff laced). Some of these are only for bantams, some for both full-sized and bantams, some may be only for full-sized. I have no idea which are recognized in Australia and I certainly don’t know what your Wyandottes look like. Knowing that might help out just a bit.

Lavender should be based on Extended Black. The lavender gene is recessive. If your rooster is pure for Extended Black, most of those colors and patterns will give you black chicks in the first generation. Not all, but most.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Hi all. I have let mt Araucana's and Wyandottes roam together and now have my Glw sitting on eggs. My roo is a lavender Araucana (with a little brown on him)and I'm wondering what the chicks will look like? This is the first time I've had a hen sit on eggs so it's rather exciting. Xxoo

A GLW is setting the eggs - but do you have other color types of Wyandottes in the flock? If so, what other colors are present in the hens that may have contributed eggs to this clutch? Seeing a photo of your rooster would be helpful as what you see as "lavender with a little brown" might be different than what we would imagine and could play into how we would interpret the outcomes.

 

[Bitemynekk]

Ty both for your replies, I haven't kept chickens long so this is all new to me. I have 2 glws and 1 slw. The prospect of Vellde sitting on eggs from the other girls didn't occur to me. I'm not at home currently but my husband said the other two Wyandottes seem to be guarding the nest. This is my rooster.

These are my Wyandottes

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Nice looking bunch!

You will want to keep an eye on the clutch as not only will a hen set a clutch that can include the eggs of others, but while that clutch is being brooded the other hens will often continue to lay eggs that are added to the bunch - even though Vellde will not lay while she is brooding, the others will continue to do so. This is not a good thing because the eggs will not have the same hatch date and you will end up with several eggs at various points of development when the main clutch has hatched and your hen will go off to raise the chicks. A good idea is to mark the eggs if the broody is setting her eggs in an area that the other hens still have access to. This way you can check the nest daily and remove all new eggs (those w/out markings on them).

 

[Bitemynekk]

Ty for the advice, I'll pass that on to my hubby. I'm on holiday and he mentioned she was sitting but hadn't brought it up again until today, so I thought shed stopped.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Interesting photo of the Araucana. Here in the US the standard calls for rumpless or they can’t be considered Araucana but in Australia both tailed and rumpless are recognized.

Anyway, with both the gold laced and the silver laced hens expect black chicks. In the adults don’t be surprised to see a few random gold or white feathers in the plumage, especially in the males. That’s called leakage where a color is wiped out by a stronger color but a few random feathers force their way through.

Your Araucana should have a pea comb, your Wyandottes a rose comb. The offspring should have a combination, what we call a walnut comb but I think you in Australia call it a cushion comb. Any pullets from that cross should lay green or bluish eggs.

I agree you need to get the eggs marked that she has and then remove any new eggs daily. That’s kind of important. I use a black Sharpie and make a couple of circles around the eggs so I can tell at a glance which ones should remain. You can still eat the new eggs as long as you collect them each day and don’t leave them down there overnight.

 

[donrae]

Interesting photo of the Araucana. Here in the US the standard calls for rumpless or they can’t be considered Araucana but in Australia both tailed and rumpless are recognized.

Anyway, with both the gold laced and the silver laced hens expect black chicks. In the adults don’t be surprised to see a few random gold or white feathers in the plumage, especially in the males. That’s called leakage where a color is wiped out by a stronger color but a few random feathers force their way through.

Your Araucana should have a pea comb, your Wyandottes a rose comb. The offspring should have a combination, what we call a walnut comb but I think you in Australia call it a cushion comb. Any pullets from that cross should lay green or bluish eggs.

I agree you need to get the eggs marked that she has and then remove any new eggs daily. That’s kind of important. I use a black Sharpie and make a couple of circles around the eggs so I can tell at a glance which ones should remain. You can still eat the new eggs as long as you collect them each day and don’t leave them down there overnight.

Just seconding this! Marking the eggs is very important, or the other hens will keep adding to the nest and you'll have partially developed chicks when the first ones are hatching--that's no fun for anyone.

 

[Bitemynekk]

Anyway, with both the gold laced and the silver laced hens expect black chicks. In the adults don’t be surprised to see a few random gold or white feathers in the plumage, especially in the males. That’s called leakage where a color is wiped out by a stronger color but a few random feathers force their way through.

Spot on there, ty

One chick has hatched so far.