Update on broody bad mom

[NatJ]

We know for sure our two roosters are Rhode Island reds. We have a variety of mother hens but the ones I know for sure is the Astralorp and the Rhode Island Red.

In that case, with both roosters being Rhode Island Reds, I agree the chicks do not have a Rhode Island Red mother.

One chick looks blue, so it probably has a blue mother (maybe a Blue Australorp? Or a Sapphire Gem?) The black ones might have a blue or a black mother (Black Australorp is a definite possibility.) A black hen with white barring or white mottling can also produce black chicks. I don't know if you have any of those in your flock.

If you want to figure out the mother of each chick, you could post photos of all the hens who lay that color of eggs, and it may be possible to identify the exact hen that is the mother, or at least which ones are possibilities.

Or if you are already sure of the mothers of the chicks, and/or don't care to put any more effort into it, feel free to ignore everything I've said. This is definitely not one of those things that helps or harms the chicks, just something that is fun or useful or not for the people.

 

[gemmat820]

Oof, Rhode island red roosters (well the hatchery quality ones at least) are often regarded as some of the most human aggression roos. The hatchery ones really have been overbred with not enough regard for temperment

So I took some pictures and did some research. I was a newb when I started buying chicks and didn't even know what I was buying. Upon google picture search it appears my roosters are mostly likely Amberlink or leghorns. I attached the best picture I could get of my flock while we were feeding them today. But either way one of them is super aggressive.

 

[gemmat820]

No I value all your input. I'm going to attach a photo of my flock during feeding and maybe someone can help me work out the possibilities. I was inexperienced when I started and can't remember all the breeds since we've had a lot of losses in the learning process and before we got a dog. Thank you!

 

[NatJ]

So I took some pictures and did some research. I was a newb when I started buying chicks and didn't even know what I was buying. Upon google picture search it appears my roosters are mostly likely Amberlink or leghorns. I attached the best picture I could get of my flock while we were feeding them today. But either way one of them is super aggressive.

Those roosters might be Lavender Orpingtons.

They might be Isabella instead of Lavender, and they might be some other breed instead of Orpington.

I am pretty sure have the lavender gene (turns black into light gray, turns red/gold into a pale yellow or cream color, makes feathers more likely to look messy instead of tidy and smooth.)

They are not White Leghorns (wrong body shape, wrong comb size, wrong foot color, wrong feather color.)

The foot color and feather color are also wrong for Amberlinks. Amberlinks should have white and yellow/cream and maybe some red. Yours do have the yellow/cream, but yours have light gray rather than white or red.

We know for sure our two roosters are Rhode Island reds.

A tip for the future: Rhode Island Reds are RED. Your roosters are not red, so they cannot be Rhode Island Reds. None of the hens in the pictures are Rhode Island Reds either.

I'm going to attach a photo of my flock during feeding and maybe someone can help me work out the possibilities. I was inexperienced when I started and can't remember all the breeds since we've had a lot of losses in the learning process and before we got a dog. Thank you!

Did you get the chickens as chicks from a store, or did you get them as adults from someone? Sometimes that helps figure out what breeds or mixes they might be.

I think I see a Blue Sexlink or Sapphire Gem hen (light gray with a darker head & neck.) She might be the mother of the blue (gray) chick, and she could also be the mother of black chicks.

The black hen could definitely be the mother of black chicks. From this angle, I can't see enough details to tell what breed she might be.

I think I see a White Leghorn hen (compared to the other hens she is smaller, her feathers are whiter, and has a larger comb.) If she is a White Leghorn, she would lay white eggs. If none of your hens lay white eggs, then she would have to be something else. If she is a White Leghorn, any chicks from her would be yellow or white when they hatch, and grow up to have white feathers. They might have dots of black in their chick down and their feathers.

The brown hen might produce black chicks with those roosters, or she might produce some kind of brown chicks with them. I'm not sure what breed she is. A Rhode Island Red would have a black tail and a more even coloring, probably more red (darker and different shade) than what she is showing. So she isn't a Rhode Island Red, but right now I don't know what else she may be.

How many hens do you have?

 

[Finnie]

I'm not sure if I'm in it for chicks long term. I'm not sure if there's much point to it aside from not having to buy chicks from the grain store but it's fun for now at least.

It is definitely fun! One tip I would give you is to get rid of the aggressive rooster because he will pass that temperament to his offspring. After you remove him from the hens, wait 2-4 weeks (if you can make yourself!) before setting any eggs in the incubator, to ensure that the other rooster is the father of the chicks.

 

[gemmat820]

Those roosters might be Lavender Orpingtons.

They might be Isabella instead of Lavender, and they might be some other breed instead of Orpington.

I am pretty sure have the lavender gene (turns black into light gray, turns red/gold into a pale yellow or cream color, makes feathers more likely to look messy instead of tidy and smooth.)

They are not White Leghorns (wrong body shape, wrong comb size, wrong foot color, wrong feather color.)

The foot color and feather color are also wrong for Amberlinks. Amberlinks should have white and yellow/cream and maybe some red. Yours do have the yellow/cream, but yours have light gray rather than white or red.


A tip for the future: Rhode Island Reds are RED. Your roosters are not red, so they cannot be Rhode Island Reds. None of the hens in the pictures are Rhode Island Reds either.


Did you get the chickens as chicks from a store, or did you get them as adults from someone? Sometimes that helps figure out what breeds or mixes they might be.

I think I see a Blue Sexlink or Sapphire Gem hen (light gray with a darker head & neck.) She might be the mother of the blue (gray) chick, and she could also be the mother of black chicks.

The black hen could definitely be the mother of black chicks. From this angle, I can't see enough details to tell what breed she might be.

I think I see a White Leghorn hen (compared to the other hens she is smaller, her feathers are whiter, and has a larger comb.) If she is a White Leghorn, she would lay white eggs. If none of your hens lay white eggs, then she would have to be something else. If she is a White Leghorn, any chicks from her would be yellow or white when they hatch, and grow up to have white feathers. They might have dots of black in their chick down and their feathers.

The brown hen might produce black chicks with those roosters, or she might produce some kind of brown chicks with them. I'm not sure what breed she is. A Rhode Island Red would have a black tail and a more even coloring, probably more red (darker and different shade) than what she is showing. So she isn't a Rhode Island Red, but right now I don't know what else she may be.

How many hens do you have?

I was actually out today taking some better pictures of each one. I bought all of my hens as chicks except for the new ones and I was inexperienced so I just chose whichever ones I thought were pretty or laid eggs other than white. I'm an amateur like that. I'm going to attach the pics I got today minus the duck pics so you can see better. I realized my mistake on the hide island reds recently. I knew we bought one but we had a lot of loss before we got a dog and we're not totally sure who survived and who didn't. It's horrible but I didn't know any better.

I have 4 hens, 2 roosters and 5 ducks. I only attached one rooster pic because they're both definitely the same breed.

Thank you for your help!

 

[gemmat820]

It is definitely fun! One tip I would give you is to get rid of the aggressive rooster because he will pass that temperament to his offspring. After you remove him from the hens, wait 2-4 weeks (if you can make yourself!) before setting any eggs in the incubator, to ensure that the other rooster is the father of the chicks.

Were kind of torn on that one because he's only ever been aggressive with me when I'm in the pen alone and I'm also the one that usually collects the eggs. He only became aggressive around the time the eggs started coming up fertile and since my husband has started defending me he has backed off a lot. I'm hoping that maybe he was just a young rooster and was testing his authority. I'm willing to give him another chance but my husband says if he attacks me again he'll get his pellet gun and take care of him on his own and I can't blame him. The talon mark I got last time got infected and it's still healing after four weeks.

 

[Finnie]

I'm hoping that maybe he was just a young rooster and was testing his authority. I'm willing to give him another chance

That’s reasonable. I’ve had young immature roosters that started to show aggression but checked it when I showed them who was boss. Then they turned out to be fine after that.

 

[NatJ]

I just chose whichever ones I thought were pretty or laid eggs other than white. I'm an amateur like that. I'm going to attach the pics I got today minus the duck pics so you can see better.

What color eggs do they lay? Even if you don't know which hen lays which color, knowing a total count can be helpful (as in, you never get more than __ white or __ brown or ___ blue/green eggs in a given day.)

That will probably help with figuring out the breeds.

I bought all of my hens as chicks except for the new ones and I was inexperienced so I just chose whichever ones I thought were pretty or laid eggs other than white.

Where did you buy them? From a store or from someone selling chicks out of their home?

I have 4 hens, 2 roosters and 5 ducks. I only attached one rooster pic because they're both definitely the same breed.

For the roosters, I'm thinking Isabella color or Lavender with leakage, breed maybe Orpington. If I'm wrong, hopefully someone else will set me straight.

 

[gemmat820]

What color eggs do they lay? Even if you don't know which hen lays which color, knowing a total count can be helpful (as in, you never get more than __ white or __ brown or ___ blue/green eggs in a given day.)

That will probably help with figuring out the breeds.


Where did you buy them? From a store or from someone selling chicks out of their home?


For the roosters, I'm thinking Isabella color or Lavender with leakage, breed maybe Orpington. If I'm wrong, hopefully someone else will set me straight.

I occasionally get green eggs but not regularly. I get a lot of brown eggs. At least three a day. I never get white eggs aside from the duck eggs.

I got a lot from TSC and a few from Farm and Home and a local grainery.

Orpington sounds familiar so I'm thinking it's probably that. One is a total jerk and the other is fairly passive.

Thank you!