RBFchicks
Hatching
- May 25, 2023
- 2
- 2
- 9
Okay so about a month ago, my beloved Rudy the Turken rooster succumbed to his injuries after fighting off some sort of predator. I'm not sure exactly what happened, but he and one hen were missing at bedtime, couldn't find any sign of either of them anywhere, and Rudy literally hobbled in sometime early the next morning, sans hen (and sans any evidence the hen ever existed, anywhere. That's a first for us, there's usually at least SOME feathers if not a body when we've lost a couple over the years.). He had fairly extensive wounds around his shoulders, I tried my best to treat him, but he passed a couple days later. I have never had a better rooster in 20+ years of chickens, he was so sweet and just the right amount of protective of his girls. I panicked. I went on my local chicken FB group and asked if anyone had an incubator I could borrow for a month, and in exchange, I'd give them whatever extra baby naked necks hatched. Now, I know for sure that Baby #3's mom is my brown leghorn (because I only have one hen that lays white eggs, the leghorn, and the baby came out of a white egg). I have a list of breeds that I'm pretty sure are my hens - BUT I know I bought something labeled an Olive Egger who lays plain brown eggs (which could still be an Olive Egger who didn't get the right egg color genes, but also I have absolutely no clue what was mixed together to make her breed, just that she's kind of a penciled brown bird with some slightly lighter golden brown neck feathers), and I have what was labeled a Blue Giant who is only a smidge larger than my Orpingtons. So, my breed list comes with some asterisks on confidence that they are actually what they say they are.
It doesn't matter who's baby is who, I'm just curious (and a little impatient to see what they'll look like eventually), and figured I could use additional eyes with more and/or different knowledge that I have.
Rooster: unfortunately I do not have a GREAT photo of him but he came from Farm Family and therefore was a Hoover's bird. I was so hoping for those baby feathers to be a sign of his adult color but I have never been so wrong. He turned out beautifully ugly nonetheless. Deep red, his wingtips had a few feathers with dark brown to black tips, his tail was an iridescent black with that lovely green oil-slick effect in the light. Big bald neck with his "chesticle" and green/blue tinted legs. His legs were sort of green-ish with more yellow/pink toes as a chick, hard to tell in the pictures.
Hens: I know that Farm Family gets their chicks from Hoover's Hatchery. Every Orpington that I got came in on an order of English Orpington variety pack which says it'll try to send some/all of the following colors: "Silver, Blue, Chocolate, Jubilee, and Mottled" (was SO sure the black one I picked was a mottled. I was wrong). Apparently they also included black (but I think blue/black/splash share the same gene, so maybe the hatchery also thought it'd be a different color and tossed that one in? If she isn't an orp, she sure looks and acts like one!) in the mix, and the manager ordered 50 lavenders for herself, then they added two extras to the order and she let me snag those two. I just learned the term "Tail Shredder" which is a more badass way to describe one of my lavs than I have been, which is "a little electrocuted" or "permanently semi-recovered from mange". She's so ugly. I love her.
I do not know where Bowman's orders their chicks from, but based on the breeds they have available, I'm fairly confident it is not Hoover's, unless they have a secret list of breeds that Hoover's never shows as available for purchase but sells only to Bowman's. This is their chick schedule for earlier this year, on the off chance any of y'all can figure out which hatchery they order from based on that.
I do not have great pictures of my hens. I am happy to attempt to get better pictures if anyone needs them, but hopefully this is at least vaguely helpful in the meantime.
Babies! The doll couch provides them with something to pay attention to, poop on, and stand (somewhat) still in my photo box so I can get halfway decent pics - apologies for the dirty furniture...
Please let me know if you want another angle or anything on them! Tried to include feet, combs, and enough pictures to really see the patterns. If any wizards can tell me who they think is a rooster/hen, I have a pool with my husband on random guesses/us pretending we can be professional Chicken Sexers. Happy to add your bets - winner gets bragging rights for the rest of their lives.
Egg Colors:
1 - light to medium brown
2 - light brown, creamy
3 - white
4 - light brown
5 - medium brown egg, maybe a little darker than #1s but hard to be sure because I tossed #1's egg on Thursday afternoon and #5 didn't arrive until Monday evening.
It's hard to capture in the pictures but Baby 1 definitely has greenish feet. Leghorn baby pics mostly included for reference, Baby 1 is slightly darker/warmer toned than the leghorn baby.
My guesses for moms are:
1. Olive Egger?
2. Buff Brahma (does the naked neck gene cancel out the feather feet gene?)
3. Leghorn lol
4. Black Orpington or maybe Blue Giant?
5. Mystery chicken I don't own who's egg was somehow transplanted into my nesting box but fertilized by my rooster, despite neither of my miles-away neighbors with chickens allowing them to free-range, ever. (this is literally my best guess. This one clearly has me stumped)
Happy to hear any guesses on moms or genders, and if you say "omg my Turken looked JUST like baby #whatever" then I'd LOVE to see pics of your adult Turken. If you have no ideas on anything and just want to see Turken babes - enjoy
It doesn't matter who's baby is who, I'm just curious (and a little impatient to see what they'll look like eventually), and figured I could use additional eyes with more and/or different knowledge that I have.
Rooster: unfortunately I do not have a GREAT photo of him but he came from Farm Family and therefore was a Hoover's bird. I was so hoping for those baby feathers to be a sign of his adult color but I have never been so wrong. He turned out beautifully ugly nonetheless. Deep red, his wingtips had a few feathers with dark brown to black tips, his tail was an iridescent black with that lovely green oil-slick effect in the light. Big bald neck with his "chesticle" and green/blue tinted legs. His legs were sort of green-ish with more yellow/pink toes as a chick, hard to tell in the pictures.
Hens: I know that Farm Family gets their chicks from Hoover's Hatchery. Every Orpington that I got came in on an order of English Orpington variety pack which says it'll try to send some/all of the following colors: "Silver, Blue, Chocolate, Jubilee, and Mottled" (was SO sure the black one I picked was a mottled. I was wrong). Apparently they also included black (but I think blue/black/splash share the same gene, so maybe the hatchery also thought it'd be a different color and tossed that one in? If she isn't an orp, she sure looks and acts like one!) in the mix, and the manager ordered 50 lavenders for herself, then they added two extras to the order and she let me snag those two. I just learned the term "Tail Shredder" which is a more badass way to describe one of my lavs than I have been, which is "a little electrocuted" or "permanently semi-recovered from mange". She's so ugly. I love her.
I do not know where Bowman's orders their chicks from, but based on the breeds they have available, I'm fairly confident it is not Hoover's, unless they have a secret list of breeds that Hoover's never shows as available for purchase but sells only to Bowman's. This is their chick schedule for earlier this year, on the off chance any of y'all can figure out which hatchery they order from based on that.
Breeds | Confidence | Egg Color | Hatchery/Farm Store |
Red Orpington | Definitely | light brown | Bowman's Feed & Pet (Westminster MD) |
Buff Orpington | Definitely | light brown | Bowman's Feed & Pet (Westminster MD) |
Barred Rock | Definitely | light brown | Hoover's Hatchery |
Buff Brahma | Definitely | medium brown | Bowman's Feed & Pet (Westminster MD) |
Brown Leghorn | Definitely | white | Bowman's Feed & Pet (Westminster MD) |
Black Copper Marans | Definitely | dark brown | Bowman's Feed & Pet (Westminster MD) |
Black Orpington | Almost Definitely | light brown | Hoover's Hatchery |
Sapphire Gem | Probably | light brown (slightly warmer tone) | Hoover's Hatchery |
Blue Rock | Probably | light brown | Bowman's Feed & Pet (Westminster MD) |
Blue Giant | Probably | medium brown with sometimes speckles | Bowman's Feed & Pet (Westminster MD) |
Lavender Orpington | Probably | light brown | Hoover's Hatchery |
"Olive Egger" | Maybe | medium/light brown | Hoover's Hatchery |
I do not have great pictures of my hens. I am happy to attempt to get better pictures if anyone needs them, but hopefully this is at least vaguely helpful in the meantime.
Babies! The doll couch provides them with something to pay attention to, poop on, and stand (somewhat) still in my photo box so I can get halfway decent pics - apologies for the dirty furniture...
Please let me know if you want another angle or anything on them! Tried to include feet, combs, and enough pictures to really see the patterns. If any wizards can tell me who they think is a rooster/hen, I have a pool with my husband on random guesses/us pretending we can be professional Chicken Sexers. Happy to add your bets - winner gets bragging rights for the rest of their lives.
Egg Colors:
1 - light to medium brown
2 - light brown, creamy
3 - white
4 - light brown
5 - medium brown egg, maybe a little darker than #1s but hard to be sure because I tossed #1's egg on Thursday afternoon and #5 didn't arrive until Monday evening.
It's hard to capture in the pictures but Baby 1 definitely has greenish feet. Leghorn baby pics mostly included for reference, Baby 1 is slightly darker/warmer toned than the leghorn baby.
My guesses for moms are:
1. Olive Egger?
2. Buff Brahma (does the naked neck gene cancel out the feather feet gene?)
3. Leghorn lol
4. Black Orpington or maybe Blue Giant?
5. Mystery chicken I don't own who's egg was somehow transplanted into my nesting box but fertilized by my rooster, despite neither of my miles-away neighbors with chickens allowing them to free-range, ever. (this is literally my best guess. This one clearly has me stumped)
Happy to hear any guesses on moms or genders, and if you say "omg my Turken looked JUST like baby #whatever" then I'd LOVE to see pics of your adult Turken. If you have no ideas on anything and just want to see Turken babes - enjoy
