what is going on here with this comb lol

[thistlewick]

Okay so this is *supposed* to be a Sapphire Olive Egger from Hoover's Hatchery.

But they aren't supposed to have pea combs... and this doesn't look like a proper pea comb, it looks a bit weird; it also looks like a cockerel and ofc it was a "premium pullet"

but come to find out that Sapphire Olive Eggers, from Hoover's specifically, are 'sex linked' to down color and light grey is a boy. BWUHHHHH

Anyway, they are not supposed to have pea combs at all. Is this just an anomaly?

 

[BlackHenCoop]

Oh? Well it’s more of a hen comb, so I don’t think you need to worry about it being a rooster, other than that, I’d just watch it and see if the chicken starts acting weird, or if it grows.

 

[thistlewick]

Oh? Well it’s more of a hen comb, so I don’t think you need to worry about it being a rooster, other than that, I’d just watch it and see if the chicken starts acting weird, or if it grows.

That's a 3 week old chick - it shouldn't be that pink if it was a pullet.

 

[sean_wonder]

Combs can be deceiving I tried finding the pic but unable to at the moment, my one girl had a huge red comb very early and I thought that she was a boy.
(Editing to say, does look like a cockerel to me, but don't want to give up all hope just yet cause I've had funny things happen before)

Where does the hatchery say that gray is sex-linked? Can you get a replacement? It is a crossbreed, so I figure something weird must've happened re: pea comb vs single. Pea combs are dominant though, so would be weird to have an oopsie pea comb baby without a parent that does not have a single comb... hmm..

 

[JedJackson]

These hatchery creations are hybrids, so you're going to get varied results in many cases. Or perhaps you were sold something else. I agree that it's a cockerel.

 

[BlackHenCoop]

That's a 3 week old chick - it shouldn't be that pink if it was a pullet.

It is weird looking but I have some hybrid chickens, that at that age had combs like that, but they were part crested, and part austalorp. I’m not saying it doesn’t look weird, cause it does, but I’m not sure if it’s necessarily bad, it might be a genetic mutation or smth.

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

These hatchery creations are hybrids, so you're going to get varied results in many cases. Or perhaps you were sold something else. I agree that it's a cockerel.

I agree. It has a rose comb… does it have yellow skin? Can you get a full body picture? Perhaps it’s a Blue Wyandotte

 

[sourland]

These hatchery creations are hybrids, so you're going to get varied results in many cases. Or perhaps you were sold something else. I agree that it's a cockerel.

What Jed said!

 

[thistlewick]

Combs can be deceiving I tried finding the pic but unable to at the moment, my one girl had a huge red comb very early and I thought that she was a boy.
(Editing to say, does look like a cockerel to me, but don't want to give up all hope just yet cause I've had funny things happen before)

Where does the hatchery say that gray is sex-linked? Can you get a replacement? It is a crossbreed, so I figure something weird must've happened re: pea comb vs single. Pea combs are dominant though, so would be weird to have an oopsie pea comb baby without a parent that does not have a single comb... hmm..

Yeah that is what I was thinking, I think it's a random something else -- Hoover's might have made a mistake at the incubator lol It's alright, we have somewhere along the lines of 11-15 pullets coming up so its not a huge deal and we have a rooster condo for unwanted boys where they can live out their lives together -- currently holding 2 but has room for 10.

I have also had a 'pinky comb' chick that ended up being a pullet. Time will always tell


You asked about how to tell sex from down color and I read about it here. I know "it's just a blog post" but she is knowledgeable.

It is weird looking but I have some hybrid chickens, that at that age had combs like that, but they were part crested, and part austalorp. I’m not saying it doesn’t look weird, cause it does, but I’m not sure if it’s necessarily bad, it might be a genetic mutation or smth.

Sapphire Olive Eggers are in fact crested so perhaps that's it. It will be interesting to see what happens.

So far in this batch I have 2 Cockerels for sure (I am like 95% sure this is a Cockerel. I named 'her' heather when I thought she was a pullet, but idc, I'm keeping that name boy or not) and we don't need 3 so will have to choose from them who stays.

 

[thistlewick]

I agree. It has a rose comb… does it have yellow skin? Can you get a full body picture? Perhaps it’s a Blue Wyandotte

I can try and get a better pic today, yep!