When?

[Essentiallyokanaganmom]

When can you more reliably take a guess at breeds. We think we have figured out 2 (bigger more distinctions) cochens out of our 10, 4 week old chicks but the other 8 I keep thinking are something then see a picture of something else it could be etc. Do I need to wait until they are older or is there some place you can compare what breeds of baby chicks (still getting feathers) look/are like.
- help an inpatient chicken mom

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Some breeds are distinctive even as chicks. Others, you have to wait until almost adult feathering. (Example a Silkie chick is distinctive with black skin, 5 toes, head crest, silk feathers rather than regular feathers, even the down is different).

Leg color and down color helps, then they go through a very awkward in between stage that is very hard to identify, then adult feathering begins to come in, and they are more distinct again.

Some are really hard to tell until adult. Welsummer, Speckled Sussex, and Brown Leghorn are very close looking as chicks since they are all chipmunks, even though leg color should vary, most hatcheries don't. For those breeds you have to wait for more adult signs (Welsummer and Speckled Sussex will have red ear lobes. Brown Leghorn white earlobe. Sussex will get spotting. Welsummer will have salmon chest (girl) black for boy. Brown Leghorn girl will have golden chest.

You get the idea.

Right now, if these are feed store chicks, I think you have 4 Buff Orpingtons (the golden ones). The chipmunk chicks are too blurry and see above.

The 2 foreground black chicks with light white stripes are not barred but look like they could be penciled or birchen. Not sure what they could be yet as several possibilities. They have yellow legs. I'd need more time to tell.

2 black in the back are too blurry. They could be Australorpes (yellow legs) or Black Sexlinks (if greyish legs).

It's best to give individual photos of each chick either at down or at adult feathers (about 10 weeks of age) for best id.

Congratulations on your new brood

LofMc

 

[Essentiallyokanaganmom]

Thanks I'll look again or post closer to 10 weeks!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Also comb types are another distinction. Pea comb vs. single is often hard to tell until about 6 to 10 weeks. Rosecomb is easy as it looks like a horseshoe with luck running down the beak in chicks.

Look at the black with white stripping...if they have rosecombs they may be Wyandottes.

LofMc

 

[Wezdin]

From what i see the tan ones are buff orpington and the black speckled are silver laced Wyandottes. Cant tell yet on the others.