Black Australorp, BA x RIR (or RIR x BA) ?

[CarmineStreet]

Hi! I'm new to chickening and to this community. And I'm glad to be here.

To the BA and RIR eggsperts here, could you tell me if any of these nearly 4-wk old chicks are pure BAs? I'm asking because I'm doubting that the breeder sold me pure BAs. Seeing brown or gold gold features/spots on some of the chicks, and knowing the breeder also sells RIRs, make me think I might have more crosses than pure BAs, if at all.

Can you also tell if they're hen or roo?

My plan WAS to raise BAs for their eggs for our own consumption at home. I also planned to try to breed them on an experimental basis. (I've bred Silkies.)

I know any mixed hens will lay lots of eggs. I'll keep them but then I wouldn't breed them. I especially wouldn't keep even a single mixed rooster because he also can't breed.

To summarize my questions:
1) Which ones are pure BAs? Mixed? (some are obvious)
2) Hen or roo?
3) What would you do?

Photos of 9 chicks are attached.

Thanks in advance! This will be much appreciated.

 

[Acre4Me]

I see your concerns!

F&G are definitely NOT BA. Other colors are present.

A BA has a straight comb, slate legs, pinky/flesh colored feet bottoms, Red earlobes. As chicks they will have some white, but will be mostly black. No other colors in fluff or feathers.

Some of the feet bottoms look yellow - but might be the lighting. Yellow feet bottoms can indicate Jersey Giant...as BJG and BA chicks look very similar as chicks, with the exception of feet bottom color. As BJG and BA grow, there are other differences that become apparent, particularly in size and shape of the bird. You didn't mention BJG as a possibility, so I'll guess lighting is a bit off giving the yellow cast.

Some of the others are hard to say for sure - differences are not really obvious right now. However, F&G may indicate you have mixes present, rather than particular breed.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

A, F, and G aren’t pure australorps. Not sure about the others yet.

 

[Mamatomany123]

I agree with you that they arent pure. Heres my production blues which are blue australorps bred with RIRs. They have that red leakage. While they're beautiful and the most friendly birds I own, I understand the frustration when you wanted to breed pure australorps.

 

[CarmineStreet]

I see your concerns!

F&G are definitely NOT BA. Other colors are present.

A BA has a straight comb, slate legs, pinky/flesh colored feet bottoms, Red earlobes. As chicks they will have some white, but will be mostly black. No other colors in fluff or feathers.

Some of the feet bottoms look yellow - but might be the lighting. Yellow feet bottoms can indicate Jersey Giant...as BJG and BA chicks look very similar as chicks, with the exception of feet bottom color. As BJG and BA grow, there are other differences that become apparent, particularly in size and shape of the bird. You didn't mention BJG as a possibility, so I'll guess lighting is a bit off giving the yellow cast.

Some of the others are hard to say for sure - differences are not really obvious right now. However, F&G may indicate you have mixes present, rather than particular breed.

Thank you for your pointers -- I appreciate it.

That was my guess. F&G are definitely a mix.

Yes, sunlight was filtering through the tree shade as I took the pics. But I think the feet color are true in the pics. I looked at the chicks again and what I thought looked yellow (at least for most of them) started to look pink!

Any thoughts on hen vs roo? I'm guessing E and F are roo?

Thanks again!

 

[CarmineStreet]

A, F, and G aren’t pure australorps. Not sure about the others yet.

Can you tell which are hen? Roo? Thank you for your input. <3

 

[CarmineStreet]

I agree with you that they arent pure. Heres my production blues which are blue australorps bred with RIRs. They have that red leakage. While they're beautiful and the most friendly birds I own, I understand the frustration when you wanted to breed pure australorps.

Thank you for sharing your photos. Yes, I am disappointed and frustrated.

What are your thoughts on whether my chicks are hen vs roo? My inexperienced guess is E&F are roo....

Thanks in advance!

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Can you tell which are hen? Roo? Thank you for your input. <3

F and E do look like cockerels.

 

[CarmineStreet]

F and E do look like cockerels.

That was my guess. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

 

[Mamatomany123]

Thank you for sharing your photos. Yes, I am disappointed and frustrated.

What are your thoughts on whether my chicks are hen vs roo? My inexperienced guess is E&F are roo....

Thanks in advance!

In my experience, australorps have a growth spurt in wattle growth around 5 weeks. The only one I would worry about is F. Cockerels make themselves known pretty early.