The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Lion Learners on February 04, 2013, 01:58:51 pm

Title: Identify my Chickens!
Post by: Lion Learners on February 04, 2013, 01:58:51 pm: I recently took on a flock of 24 chickens and 3 ducks from a gentleman who could no longer keep them. The problem I have is that they're a real mixed bunch and I have no idea what breeds I have. I have spent hours over the last couple of weeks looking at pictures of chickens online and I still don't feel I can be confident about any of them. I'm even starting to doubt the ones I thought thought I knew from my established flock.

Can you help? I've put the first few pictures below...
Title: Re: Identify my Chickens!
Post by: Castle Farm on February 04, 2013, 05:06:07 pm: Most are cross breds but thats no problem as they look fit and well.

Unless your a pureist cross bred/hybrids are as good and sometimes better than pure bred.

The barred birds look like Marans You will see if they lay a dark brown egg.
Title: Re: Identify my Chickens!
Post by: Lion Learners on February 04, 2013, 06:06:09 pm: I suspected they were hybrids. Any ideas what of?

The cockerel in picture 1 is a magnificent beast. The ones in the other are all quite small.

I'm not expecting any eggs from the marans as I'm pretty sure I have seen both of them crowing.

Liona
Title: Re: Identify my Chickens!
Post by: ZaktheLad on February 04, 2013, 06:16:12 pm: I have some of No3 - they are black rock (hybrids). Lovely birds that lay super eggs. No 2 looks like a black tail, another hybrid - there is also another name for them - depends where you purchase from as to what they call them! The place I purchased my hens call these the Siston black tail as the site is in Siston! I have 9 hybrid hens and they lay throughout the year, including all through the winter months. They are all very friendly too and I find them so entertaining and chatty! Love your speckled hens in the first picture.
Title: Re: Identify my Chickens!
Post by: Possum on February 05, 2013, 05:31:34 pm: I agree. Chicken 3 is a Black Rock. The other two do look like hybrids, but I'm not sure which ones. All look in great condition though. :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Identify my Chickens!
Post by: Lion Learners on February 05, 2013, 06:46:09 pm: Thanks so much for your answers! Most of them are the same as the black rocks or are the same shape as the blacktails (No. 2) but in all sorts of different colours.

A couple more pictures for you. There's a few 'spotty' ones like number 5 that are all very small. Number 6 is one I would particularly like to know (it's just a better picture of number 4). Number 7 is another large cockerel.

Thanks again

Liona
Title: Re: Identify my Chickens!
Post by: in the hills on February 05, 2013, 07:05:09 pm: :wave: Hi

I think that most are cross bred hens and cockerels.

Black rocks can vary a lot in plumage colour and I think that although one looks a bit like a Black Rock it could be a X breed as opposed to a hybrid and the same for No2 .

All look bright and healthy. ;D
Title: Re: Identify my Chickens!
Post by: Marches Farmer on February 05, 2013, 07:13:32 pm: We once had a farmer staying in the farm cottage who produced organic eggs and chickens for Sainsburys. He said he started with Warrens and on the way to do his sales pitch to the supermarket buyers thought up a new name with a more happy, rural sound (he didn't tell me what it was though!)
Title: Re: Identify my Chickens!
Post by: scruffbag on February 05, 2013, 08:20:48 pm: cockeral 7 looks like a welsummer.
number 2 could be a new hampshire red or cross of one.
Title: Re: Identify my Chickens!
Post by: zarzar on February 05, 2013, 09:05:18 pm: The spotty girls in background of pic one look a spit of my 2 girls who are black rock x two other breeds cant remember exact breeds.