Lucas Delgado
Raising chickens has become a popular trend for many people, but it can be challenging to identify different breeds of chicks. Chickens come in two general sizes: bantam (miniature) and standard. The colour of a chicken's feathers can be a distinguishing feature, although this is not always reliable. Cheek poufs are a characteristic of Easter Egger chickens, and the colour of eggs laid can also be indicative of breed. For example, Ameraucanas are known for their greenish-blue eggs. Sexual dimorphism can be used to identify the sex of a chick as it matures, with observable differences in behaviour and appearance between roosters and hens. Roosters may exhibit behaviours such as courting, crowing, mounting, and sparring, while hens may exhibit tidbitting and guarding behaviours.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cheek poufs | Common in Easter Egger chicks |
| Size | Bantam (miniature) or standard |
| Colour | Black, brown, white, buff |
| Behaviour | Aggression, broodiness, tidbitting, guarding |
| Legs | Clean or feathered, dark or light |
| Comb | Fleshy growth on the chicken's head; larger in males |
| Feathers | Shorter and rounded in hens, pointed hackle feathers in roosters |
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What You'll Learn
- Check the chick's legs: Are they feathered or clean Dark or light
- Observe the egg colour: Different chickens lay different-coloured eggs
- Examine the chick's comb: The comb is the fleshy growth at the top of a chicken's head
- Observe the chick's temperament: Some breeds are known for being gentle, while others are flighty
- Check the chick's cheeks: Some breeds have cheek poufs, like the Easter Egger
Check the chick's legs: Are they feathered or clean? Dark or light?
When trying to identify the breed of a chick, it can be helpful to look at its legs. One of the first things to check for is whether the chick has feathers on its feet. Some breeds are ""feather-footed", meaning they have fluff on their feet, while others are "clean-legged", with no feathers. For example, baby Brahmas, Cochins, and Silkies are feather-footed, while other breeds like Brahma are clean-legged.
Another thing to look out for is the colour of the chick's legs. For instance, Appenzeller Spitzhauben chicks have slate blue legs, while Silkies have black skin and feet. Chickens with black skin and feet are not limited to Silkies, as Faverolles, Dorkings, and Houdens also have this feature.
Additionally, some chickens have extra toes, which is a relatively uncommon feature. Silkies, Sultans, Faverolles, Dorkings, and Houdens are among the few breeds with this characteristic.
Leg colour can also be indicative of a chick's sex. Roosters tend to have thicker and longer legs, while hens have shorter and thinner legs. However, it is worth noting that this method of sexing a chick is not always accurate, and it may be difficult to determine a chick's sex with certainty until it matures and exhibits more pronounced physical and behavioural characteristics.
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Observe the egg colour: Different chickens lay different-coloured eggs
Observing the colour of a chicken's egg can help determine the breed of the chicken. The colour of the egg is determined by the breed's genetics. While certain breeds have been bred to lay specific colour eggs, most breeds lay either brown or white eggs.
The White Leghorn chicken, for instance, lays white-shelled eggs, while breeds like Plymouth Rocks and Rhode Island Reds lay brown-shelled eggs. The brown egg-laying breeds will also lay different shades of brown eggs, ranging from a light cream to a dark chocolate, almost black-brown colour.
Some breeds lay blue or blue-green eggs, such as the Ameraucana, Araucana, Dongxiang, and Lushi. The Ameraucana breed has a pigment called oocyanin deposited on its eggs, which penetrates the outside and inside of the shell, making both blue. The Olive Egger, a cross between the Maran or Welsummer and the Araucana, lays green eggs.
The colour of a chicken's earlobes can also be an indicator of the egg colour. Generally, hens with white earlobes lay white eggs, those with red earlobes lay brown eggs, and those with bluish earlobes lay blue or green eggs.
It is important to note that the colour of the egg does not affect its taste or nutritional value. The colour of the egg yolk, however, can be influenced by the hen's diet. A diet rich in yellow-orange pigments will result in a yellow or orange yolk, while a diet low in these pigments will result in a pale or white yolk.
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Examine the chick's comb: The comb is the fleshy growth at the top of a chicken's head
When trying to identify a chick's breed, one of the key things to look out for is the chick's comb—the fleshy growth at the top of a chicken's head. The comb can come in many different shapes and sizes, and each breed of chicken is consistent with its comb type. For example, Barred Rocks have a single (straight) comb, while Brahmas have a pea comb.
The comb of a chicken is usually a bright red flap, but the colouring can vary. Roosters will often have larger combs and wattles (the fleshy growth under a chicken's chin) than hens, and the colouring of their combs, wattles, earlobes, and faces will also be more vibrant than a hen's facial features. In rare cases, a hen may start exhibiting rooster-like features, such as a larger comb, if raised in a rooster-less flock or with mostly roosters.
Silkies are a breed with a walnut comb, crest, five toes with feathered feet, and black skin. They can be bearded and non-bearded and come in a variety of colours. Buckeye chickens, which are good for meat and eggs, have a pea comb, whereas Buff Brahmas, which are also good for meat production, have an orange pea comb.
Single combs and rose combs are the most common, but there are also pea, V, chrysanthemum, walnut, strawberry, cushion, and buttercup combs.
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Observe the chick's temperament: Some breeds are known for being gentle, while others are flighty
Chickens are believed to have distinct personalities. They learn, communicate, and even have arguments with each other. They also conform to a "pecking order", a hierarchy of power that they work out in their early weeks of life.
Chicks of different breeds reared in the same environment have been found to differ in their levels of activity, emotional arousal, and curiosity. They also exhibit varying preferences for environmental enrichments, which are reflected in different levels of stress. For example, Zk chicks were characterized by the highest level of fearfulness, and adult Zk birds tend to avoid humans. On the other hand, Pb chicks were slower than Zk and Lg chicks and did not make quick decisions.
Differences in temperament between male and female chicks have also been observed. Male chicks tend to act less skittish and are more likely to bully their peers. Female chicks are more easily frightened by loud noises and are more likely to run in response. Male chicks are also more likely to issue warning chirps when approached, while females will usually stay silent. Male chicks also tend to have larger bodies and uniform wing feathers, while females are smaller and have wing feathers of varying sizes.
Some breeds are also known for having particular temperaments. For example, the Barred Plymouth Rock is known for its gentle, sweet-natured temperament, while the Ancona is loud and flighty.
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Check the chick's cheeks: Some breeds have cheek poufs, like the Easter Egger
When identifying the breed of a chick, it is important to observe the physical characteristics of the bird, such as size, feather colours, and patterns. One distinctive feature to look out for is cheek poufs, which are a breed characteristic of Easter Eggers (EEs). EEs are often referred to as mutts, as they are bred from Araucanas, which are known for their blue and green eggs.
Easter Egger chicks can be identified by their extra fluff on the cheeks, which gives them a unique double chin effect. This feature is noticeable even when they are just three weeks old. The cheek poufs are a distinctive trait that sets them apart from other breeds. While colour may not be the most reliable indicator of a chick's breed, Easter Eggers can come in a variety of colours, including black, white, and dark brown.
Cheek poufs are not the only distinguishing feature to consider when identifying chick breeds. Some other notable characteristics include feathered feet, which are found in feather-footed breeds like Brahmas, Cochins, and Silkies. On the other hand, clean-legged breeds like Leghorns have smooth, featherless legs. Additionally, patterns around the eyes can be indicative of certain breeds. For example, the Speckled Sussex has a distinct eye line that curves up, while the Welsummer chick's eye line goes straight back or slightly downward.
The size of the chick can also be a factor in breed identification. Chickens typically come in two sizes: bantam (miniature) and standard. Bantam chicks are significantly smaller than standard chicks, being only one-quarter of the size of their larger counterparts. Silkies are a breed that comes in both bantam and standard sizes, making size a helpful trait in determining the breed of your chick.
While physical characteristics are crucial in identifying chick breeds, it is worth noting that behavioural traits also come into play. Breeds like Orpingtons and Silkies are known for their gentle temperament, while Buttercups tend to be flighty and avoid human contact. Additionally, some breeds, such as the Belgian D'Uccle, are more prone to broodiness, where the hen refuses to leave her nest of eggs even when it is empty.
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Frequently asked questions
It can be difficult to identify the breed of a young chick. You usually have to wait until it is about four months old to distinguish its breed traits. However, you can examine its size, colour, and cheek poufs. For example, bantams are miniature chickens, one-quarter the size of standard chickens, while Silkies have very fine, almost fur-like feathers. The most common cheek pouf variety is the Easter Egger, which is bred from Ameraucanas, known for their greenish-blue eggs.
There is no 100% fail-proof assessment method to determine the sex of a baby chick. However, as they mature, you can look out for observable differences in external appearance and behaviour. Roosters will have longer, pointed hackle, saddle, and tail feathers, larger combs and wattles, and may exhibit behaviours such as courting, crowing, mounting, and sparring. Hens will have shorter, more rounded feathers, and may exhibit behaviours such as tidbitting and guarding.
You can refer to a leg band colour chart. For example, a male chick will be banded in black or blue, while a female chick will be banded in yellow.
Many different types of chickens lay eggs in a variety of colours. Ameraucanas are known for their greenish-blue eggs, while Japanese Bantams have pale beige to cream-coloured eggs. The size of the egg will also give you information about the chicken breed. Small eggs are from smaller hens, such as Chinese Silkies.
Breeds like Orpingtons and Silkies are known for their gentle temperament, while the Buttercup is known for being flighty and avoiding human contact. Some breeds are also known to be more broody, such as the Belgian D'Uccle.
