Red feathers on Black Australorp?

[GimmeCake]

About a little over a year ago, I bought three Australorps from a hatchery online. When they were about a year old, a month or two ago, I noticed one of the hens have developed red feathers around her neck. I don't have any good pictures of it, but there isn't much to see, she just has red feathers. Never heard of red feathers on a Black Australorp and I am wondering what could be causing them.

Here is a picture I took of her recently:

 

[Wyandottes7]

To me, this bird looks more like a Black Copper Maran.

 

[Michael OShay]

To me, this bird looks more like a Black Copper Maran.

I agree that it looks like a Black Copper Marans; it's definitely not a Black Australorp.

 

[GimmeCake]

Is it normal for that breed to develop red feathers this late? I wasn't able to tell the difference between her and the others up until last month or two.

 

[dan26552]

To me, this bird looks more like a Black Copper Maran.

Black copper Marans have feathers on their feet

 

[dan26552]

Maybe a black sex link?

 

[Michael OShay]

Black copper Marans have feathers on their feet

Not necessarily. The English standard calls for clean legs.

 

[Kev]

It's a cockerel and not australorp.

If the hatchery has black copper marans he is probably it. The comments about leg feathering.... well, hatchery stock aren;t so big on keeping to show standards. so a clean legged or even a yellow skinned marans from a hatchery would not be a huge shocker.

and yes it is normal for the 'copper' coloring to come in later. He may get some more on his back and saddle area.

BTW if this was a pullet, black sex link would have been a perfect guess. But black sex link cockerels have barring and this bird doesn't.

Another possibility is if the hatchery does their unique crossing for eggs or dual purpose that could be a good possibility.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I'm sorry to disagree, but I'm not seeing rooster in that bird...not a year old rooster....which you state this must be, even late developing.

It has some funk in the tail, but I've had plenty of hens with that...more importantly, it does not have a developed comb and wattles that a rooster would have at this age.

I'm not seeing Black Marans, per se, either, although it may be mixed with some.

I think you have a mixed breed mishap from the hatchery who got odd coloring in at her hackles later on, which can happen with mix breeds as their feather change quite a bit as they develop, molt, develop.

Black Marans rooster (middle of flock), BCM hens, Splash Marans hen (courtesy of J-Bar farms)

 

[Kev]

Oh I completely missed the age.. mainly looked at the picture. It passed for a pullet/cockerel age in that pic. with the wrongly assumed young age I thought the neck coloring was the roo feathers coming in.

If it's really a year old I would agree to a mixed breed because of that body type,.