[proudchickenmommy]

Hi everyone, I’m new to raising backyard chickens, and purchased my first chicks a couple of weeks ago from our local Tractor Supply Store. I am fairly confident that at least one of the labels on the tubs was wrong. I am hoping someone might be able to help me identify the breed, gender, and age of these chicks? I am pretty sure I have a light brahma pullet, two Easter Egger pullets, two Isa Brown pullets, and a Sapphire Gem pullet. I have no idea what the black chick is,. I thought I was buying a Barred Rock pullet, but this one has feathered legs/feet. Anyone have any idea what breed, gender, and age it might be? Maybe a maran of some sort? Do you think the others were labeled correctly? I am more than happy to post more pics if that will help. Thank you in advance!

 

[proudchickenmommy]

Look at how much bigger it is than the rest.

@ChickenBiscuts and @fuzzies are very good when peeps are that young.

Thank you! I guess I incorrectly thought that maybe he was just older than the others, even though they were all purchased at the same time. I would really love to know the cockerel's breed. I want to be the best chicken owner I can be, so I have been trying to research the various breeds and learn about their individual needs and requirements. I guess I had better change his name. Bertha will be Bert.

 

[proudchickenmommy]

Thanks for the nice pics, gotta love Trac Supp...but sometimes when I am just looking for some pullets, I wait till they lower the price and buy some mystery birds.

My Isa Browns were on sale, so I was happy about that! I was thinking they may be mystery birds. haha

 

[proudchickenmommy]

Individual shots that show the entire body in good lighting help a lot when it comes to identifying. I'll give it a go with these, though.

Being that they are from TSC, my educated guesses on their breeds from what I can see in these pictures is a blue sexlink pullet (your Sapphire Gem), what could be a Welsummer or some sort of single-combed Easter-egger (hard to tell without seeing its feet), two red sexlinks (ISA Browns are a type of red sexlink, so they certainly could be ISAs), possibly a production red or New Hampshire, a Light Brahma, and the cockerel that others have pointed out. I believe that your cockerel is a Midnight Majesty Marans, which isn't actually a Marans but a misleadingly named sexlinked hybrid where the males are single-factor barred like him. He is also at least one or two weeks older than the other chicks in the pictures, to my eye.

Thank you so much for the reply! I am simply amazed by your knowledge. Excuse me while I go Google now haha. I'm kind of disappointed about the cockerel because I was hoping he was a Black Copper Maran, but it is what it is. I am looking forward to watching him grow (but not crow)! I will try to remember to post more pics in a week or so, if you're interested. Thanks again!!