Maybe you bought a mixed set of chicks. Maybe the chicks you bought are absolutely not what they’re supposed to be. Maybe you’re best friend’s neighbor’s cousin knew a guy who’s brother’s wife had chicks and you bought a couple dozen. “What breed are they?” you ask. “Well, the guy I got them from said that his Aunt Josephine said that they were (insert obscure chicken breed hear)” This, as you may imagine, does not help you at all.
Identifying new born chicks is not always easy but below are some tips that may help you figure out what exactly you have. There are also a few pictures of certain breeds that I have raised as chicks for comparison.
Note: This article was written for purebred chicks not mixes.
- What size is it?
- Bantam chicks can be the size of a strawberry up to a kiwi. Standards are kiwi to small tomato sized. If you know what size your bird is, it will help you narrow down what it could be.
- What is the temperament?
- Mediteranian breeds like Anconas and Leghorns are flightier then the American breed Plymouth Rocks and the English breed Sussex. If one of your chicks hates to be picked up then you may have a Mediteranian breed. Or it might just hate to be picked up.
- Does it have feathered legs?
- Only some breeds have a standard for feathered legs. Also look at where the feathers are. Marins only have feathers on the outside of their leg; Cochins have feathers on their legs and toes.
- What size are the legs?
- Japanese Bantams can have very short legs. Very very short legs. It should be pretty obvious if you have a Japanese Bantam. Anconas have thinner delicate legs and Jersey Giants have legs like tree trunks.
- What kind of comb does it have?
You will probably have to wait for the comb to grow a bit before you are certain what type it is. Single combs and Rose combs are the most common but there are also Pea, V, Chrysanthemum, Walnut, Strawberry, Cushion, and Buttercup combs.
- What color is it?
- Chicks with yellow fluff should grow up to be white or buff while chicks with black fluff should be black. Chicks with spots are harder.
- How many toes does it have?
- Silkies, Sultans, Favorells, Houdans, and Dorkings are the only APA recognized breeds with five toes. All the other breeds have four.
- What color skin does it have?
- Breeds like Silkies and Sumatras have black skin while most others have yellow or pink.
- Does it have a crest?
- You may have to wait a bit for this to develop, but if it does you might have a Polish or an Appenzeller Spitzhauben. That one’s not recognized by the APA but it’s fun to say.
- How much fluff does it have?
- Cochins are fluffier than any other chick from day one. When you pick one up it is obvious they are more poofy. Cornish have a bare strip down there breast right along the keel bone, and Naked Necks or Showgirls should be obvious.
- How does it stand?
- Japanese Bantams have tails that stand straight up and are angled over the back in a condition called squirrel tail. Asils and Maylays stand almost vertical compared to horizontal like most chickens.
- And now for some pictures. The second or third pictures are all 6 weeks old.
- All these chicks were from quality stock so your chick might look a little different but they should be close enough for comparison.
Bantam Buff Brahma
Buff Brahmas are buff with black in the wings, tail, and cape or hackles. Brahmas have orange legs with four toes, feather on the outer and middle toe, a pea comb, and a wide head. They are a slower growing breed that is good for meat production and cold weather.
Standard Light Sussex
Light Sussex are a breed that is rare in the US. They are white with black lacing in the cape or hackles, black in the wings, and a black tail. They have a larger single comb and pale white legs with four toes. A duel purpose breed, they are good for eggs and meat production.
Standard Buckeye
Buckeyes are red with a black tail, orange legs, four toes, and a pea comb. They grow quickly and are good for meat and eggs.
Bantam White Rock
Plymouth Rocks are one of the oldest and most common breeds. White Rocks are white with yellow legs, four toes, and a single comb. They are another duel purpose breed used for meat and eggs.
Bantam Black Rock
Black Rocks are the same as White Rocks except their black. They also may have some black in the feet.
Black Tailed Buff Japanese Bantam
BTB Japanese have a copy of a lethal gene that makes breeding difficult. They are tiny with very short yellow legs, a single comb, and a wide head. Japanese are squirrel tailed, meaning they hold their tails higher than 90 degrees. Due to their short legs, they are more prone to mites on the head.
Barred Japanese Bantam
Barred Japanese are like BTB Japanese but they have barred plumage.
Bantam Blue Orpington
Blue Orpingtons have grey feathers with a rounded tail and a single comb. They have yellow legs that can also include some grey and four toes. Orpingtons are good mothers, egg layers, and meat birds and are good in heat and cold.
Standard Mottled Cochin
Cochin's take two years to mature fully. This guy didn't lose his egg tooth until week two while every other chick lost theirs on day 2-3. Mottled Cochins have orange legs with dense feathering on the outer and middle toe, four toes, and black and white mottled feathers. They are very cold hardy, but slow growing. Cochins make very good broody hens.
Millie Fleur D'uccle Bantam
The second picture is 3 weeks old but you can already see that they are very different from the Buff Brahma chick.
Ta Da! Done. Happy identifying.
That's all I have for right now but as I hatch more chicks I will try to update the chick pictures.
