Bluebells and Austrolorps!

[lovemychooksies]

Hi, I am new to BYC, I adore my chickens, but I would like to know if anyone out there know if there is a difference between Austrolorps and Bluebells??? To me they look identical! I had what I thought was a blue Orpington but unfortunatley mr fox got her a few months ago, I replaced her with a blue Bluebell, as I just love them, but she is no where near as large as my first hen, though she looks identical to her, so maybe my previous blue was an Austrolorp?? are they larger than bluebells??
Hope someone can shed some light on this !!

 

[Percheron chick]

Bluebells are a hybrid chicken resulting from crossing a rir and a maran. They are a medium bodied blue (grey) bird so they should look nothing like a ba.

 

[Michael OShay]

Welcome to BYC. Glad you decided join our flock. Bluebells are a cross between Rhode Island Reds and Black Copper Marans. Bluebells and Blue Australorps do look very much alike. Bluebells tend to run a little lighter than Blue Australorps, the body feathering on Bluebells is typically a little more gray cast than that of Blue Australorps, and there is more of a contrast between the darker feathers in the neck area and the lighter feathers covering the body on a Bluebell than there is on a Blue Australorp. Please feel free to ask any other questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Good luck with your flock.

 

[lovemychooksies]

Michael thankyou for your reply! Yes my bluebell has a darker head that my previous hen, she was a paler grey, was very large, and very gentle and I loved her dearly, she raised a family of ducklings like they were her own brood, I was so devastated when I discovered that she had been taken. But this new bluebell is certainly a very good replacement, I have noticed since that my bluebell has black legs, my previous had flesh coloured legs, so I definatley think she was an austro.

 

[lovemychooksies]

Bluebells are a hybrid chicken resulting from crossing a rir and a maran. They are a medium bodied blue (grey) bird so they should look nothing like a ba.

Hi! thankyou for your reply, but they are actually very very alike!

 

[N F C]

Welcome to BYC!

I'm sorry you lost one of your favorite birds, that's always hard. I would love to see a photo of your Bluebell, don't think I've seen one before. She sounds very pretty.

Hope you enjoy being here, nice to have you join us.

 

[drumstick diva]

I would like to see the photo myself, I've never seen a bluebell. Sorry for you loss. Welcome to Backyard chickens.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Hi! thankyou for your reply, but they are actually very very alike!

Photos would be very helpful. As a hybrid bird there can be a bit of a variance in the appearance - kind of like how one red sex link (even from the same pairing) can look different from another.

 

[N F C]

Photos would be very helpful. As a hybrid bird there can be a bit of a variance in the appearance - kind of like how one red sex link (even from the same pairing) can look different from another.

That's true. We got 3 RSL's from the same hatch, one of them could easily be confused for a Rhode Island unless you look at her in the daylight.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC!