Which breeds have feathered legs?

[Nurfsmom]

Maybe Silkies? Silkies can have beards or clean faces, but they should always have feathered legs, a crest on the head, and they come in a variety of colors.

(But only if they grow silkie feathers. If they grow normal feathers, they cannot be Silkies.)

Sultans are supposed to have beards on their faces, but would otherwise fit: yellow chicks, feathered legs, crest on the head, grow white feathers.

Wouldn't Silkie chicks be on the smaller side? These are normal-sized chicks. I'm thinking Cochin or Marans. Cackle hatchery does not breed Booted Bantams, Langshans, or Pavlovskayas. The Sultanas are a possibility.

 

[NatJ]

Wouldn't Silkie chicks be on the smaller side? These are normal-sized chicks.

Yes, Silkie chicks probably would be on the smaller side.

And when they grow any amount of feathers, you can probably tell whether they have silkie feathering or not, so that's one breed that is pretty easy to confirm or rule out at an early age.

I'm thinking Cochin or Marans.

If they have a crest on the head, they would not be Cochin or Maran.
But if they do not have a crest, those seem likely.

Cackle hatchery does not breed Booted Bantams, Langshans, or Pavlovskayas. The Sultanas are a possibility.

Cackle does have pages for several colors of d'Uccles, but those would also be bantam-sized.

 

[Beaker99]

I'd bet Marans. I ordered from them in March.

 

[Nurfsmom]

Yes, Silkie chicks probably would be on the smaller side.

And when they grow any amount of feathers, you can probably tell whether they have silkie feathering or not, so that's one breed that is pretty easy to confirm or rule out at an early age.


If they have a crest on the head, they would not be Cochin or Maran.
But if they do not have a crest, those seem likely.


Cackle does have pages for several colors of d'Uccles, but those would also be bantam-sized.

Right, that is why I eliminated those. Faverolles are a possibility also.

 

[NatJ]

Right, that is why I eliminated those. Faverolles are a possibility also.

Faverolles are supposed to have an extra back toe on each foot, which might be a good way to distinguish them from some of the other options.

 

[Nurfsmom]

Tried to get a pic of the yellow chick in question, but it failed to cooperate. I did get a pic of this black one that I'm curious about and a good one of one of my French Pearl guinea keets. Any ideas on the black one?

 

[Nurfsmom]

Faverolles are supposed to have an extra back toe on each foot, which might be a good way to distinguish them from some of the other options.

Ok, Faverolles are out then, no extra toes.

 

[NatJ]

Tried to get a pic of the yellow chick in question, but it failed to cooperate.

Definitely not cooperative. I assume it's the one behind the black chick?

Yes, I can see why you think it might be a Cochin or Marans.
From your previous description, I had thought you were talking about a chick with a crest, but I don't see a crest on that chick.

For varieties that could be yellow as chicks, I see that Cackle has pages for French Wheaten Marans, White Marans, White Cochins and Buff Cochins (with the Cochins coming in both bantam and standard size.) Most of those should be easy to tell apart as they grow feathers of different colors.

I did get a pic of this black one that I'm curious about and a good one of one of my French Pearl guinea keets. Any ideas on the black one?

The black one does look black (yes, statement of the obvious), has clean feet (not feathered), and I'm pretty sure I see a single comb.

So it could be any black breed with a single comb and clean feet. Or it could even be a "blue" breed, because when they breed blues they get some black chicks too.

Poking around Cackle's website, I found:
Black Jersey Giant
Black Australorp
Black Standard Old English
Black Minorca
Ayam Cemani (although I don't think it's black enough for that)
Black Sexlink

I was expecting to find Blue Andalusians as well, but apparently they don't carry them.
And of course I might have missed something, too.

 

[Nurfsmom]

Definitely not cooperative. I assume it's the one behind the black chick?

Yes, I can see why you think it might be a Cochin or Marans.
From your previous description, I had thought you were talking about a chick with a crest, but I don't see a crest on that chick.

For varieties that could be yellow as chicks, I see that Cackle has pages for French Wheaten Marans, White Marans, White Cochins and Buff Cochins (with the Cochins coming in both bantam and standard size.) Most of those should be easy to tell apart as they grow feathers of different colors.


The black one does look black (yes, statement of the obvious), has clean feet (not feathered), and I'm pretty sure I see a single comb.

So it could be any black breed with a single comb and clean feet. Or it could even be a "blue" breed, because when they breed blues they get some black chicks too.

Poking around Cackle's website, I found:
Black Jersey Giant
Black Australorp
Black Standard Old English
Black Minorca
Ayam Cemani (although I don't think it's black enough for that)
Black Sexlink

I was expecting to find Blue Andalusians as well, but apparently they don't carry them.
And of course I might have missed something, too.

Nope, the yellow chick behind the black one is not the one in question. It ran over to the other side of the brooder. lol What was interesting about the black one is the black beak, comb and legs. Only white is under the neck and belly. It is the only one like that. Interesting list you have there, I'll go check them out and see what I can find. Thank you!!


Ok, after looking, I think it's a Black Sexlink female. Go easy on me. lol

 

[NatJ]

Nope, the yellow chick behind the black one is not the one in question. It ran over to the other side of the brooder. lol

Very uncooperative indeed!

What was interesting about the black one is the black beak, comb and legs. Only white is under the neck and belly. It is the only one like that. Interesting list you have there, I'll go check them out and see what I can find. Thank you!!


Ok, after looking, I think it's a Black Sexlink female. Go easy on me. lol

I'm glad the list was helpful

I listed the breeds I could think of, then started searching things like "black" or "blue" on Cackle's website to see what else they might have. Of course, then I had to look past the ones that had "black" in their name but were obviously wrong (Black Swedish Duck, Black Cochin, Black Laced Gold Wyandotte, etc.)