White Chickens Have Me Stumped on Breed & Sex.

[tommysgirl]

Hatched the first week in August, these birds came to me from Sand Hill Preservation. Sand Hill only sends straight run and I had asked for "Assorted American" So these guys arrived as the most unique chicks I had seen and were labled as Blue Giants. As chicks they were indeed blue with yellow underbellies. As they grew they turned from blue to white so for a while I thought they were splash but as you can see they remained white with a faint blue/grey lacing on the neck feathers. They also have blue shanks so I thought maybe they were Bresse and I also believed, because of early comb and wattle development that they were cockerels.

At this point, though I have been sexing chicks pretty accurately for the last 8 years, I am throwing up my hands and asking for help. Their neck feathers are not thin and pointy, Their legs are in between; either stocky for a pullet or thin for a cockerel, they developed combs and wattles at around 7 weeks. I had Black Giant cockerels in the same shipment and they are very clearly cockerels and also much larger than these guys who are shaped less like rugby balls and more like volleyballs.

These white birds are taller and bigger overall than the Chantecler, Java and Erminettes I received in the same shipment but overall smaller than the Giants so help please. I don't know what they could be. Thanks so much!!

 

[black_cat]

I'm a bit out of it today, but a lot of stuff from sandhill is almost unrecognizable. I think that it was @The Moonshiner who had a 'cochin' that looked more like a leghorn.


Can't help with breed but the last bird and I think the second bird are male.

 

[nuthatched]

Oo, sandhill is not known for good birds. I have no idea, first thought is Breese but I don't think they have slate legs, second thought is langshans but they don't have feathered legs.

 

[LavenderDaFlerf]

The sex is first photo pullet second pullet third cockerel. I'm stumped on the breed.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I believe these are Bresse chickens.
Breed standard calls for a blue/slate colored legs.

 

[Painted Calls]

I believe these are Bresse chickens.
Breed standard calls for a blue/slate colored legs.

Agreed.

I'm a bit out of it today, but a lot of stuff from sandhill is almost unrecognizable. I think that it was @The Moonshiner who had a 'cochin' that looked more like a leghorn.


Can't help with breed but the last bird and I think the second bird are male.

Yep. They were awful. Sandhill is a sad establishment all the way around.

 

[MTKitty]

I’m not familiar with Sandhill, but it seems they don’t suffer from having a good reputation. Is it possible you got “mutts” instead of any particular breed?

 

[black_cat]

I’m not familiar with Sandhill, but it seems they don’t suffer from having a good reputation. Is it possible you got “mutts” instead of any particular breed?

I don't think that they just sell mixes- just poor, poor quality purebreds.
It seems that the birds are bresse (I don't know the breed very well so I can't confirm or deny).

 

[MTKitty]

I don't think that they just sell mixes- just poor, poor quality purebreds.
It seems that the birds are bresse (I don't know the breed very well so I can't confirm or deny).

If a hatchery’s reputation for quality comes into question, it also makes me wonder how hard they work to keep their various breed offerings separated to ensure “purity.” Again, since I’m not familiar with Sandhill. I was just throwing out my thoughts after seeing several comments about others having difficulty pinpointing a specific breed.

If they are trustworthy on breed, but careless on bird quality; then that’s the issue. As a novice with chickens, I am acutely aware that a hatchery could send me whatever they want. As long as it resembles the breed I ordered (if one was specified), I wouldn’t know the difference.

 

[tommysgirl]

I believe these are Bresse chickens.
Breed standard calls for a blue/slate colored legs.

Thank you. I thought that too but checked it out and Bresse are yellow at hatch and these were blue with yellow bellies. It is a mystery. @ronott1 is that correct?