What am I?

This is supposed to be a five month old Jersey Giant pullet. Well clearly he's no pullet, but the white ears mean that he is also not a Jersey Giant. I got six of these "Jerseys" for Mothers' Day and they are all the same breed just not Jerseys. The pullets also have small white ears and bigger and more serrated combs than my real Jerseys. Anybody know what they could be? Could they be Minorcas? There don't seem to be many black chickens with dark lega, single combs and white ears. They are also smaller and of a lighter build than the Buckeyes that are the same age.

Here is a picture of some of the "Jersey" pullets in the front with one of the adult Jersey hens. The Buckeyes of the same age are behind them.

I don't know what breed they are, I just wanted to say your Buckeyes are beautiful!

Thanks!

a Langshan?? http://www.mypetchicken.com/chicken-breeds/Langshan-B64.aspx

Langshans have feathered legs. Black Minorcas usually have much more white on their lobes and their combs are very tall.

You might check with the person/source you got them from to see what else they sell/have/breed... I've had times where I lost track and had to look up the seller to see what I bought! :)

The chicks came from Ideal Poultry and they do breed Minorcas. I don't see any other white eared chickens from them that these could be. As they are only five months old the combs and earlobes are probably not as big as they will get. (?) Does anyone out there have Minorcas?

You are probably right then Porkpal... They do fit.. that's for sure.. and it's not that impossible for them to accidentally send the wrong ones. They are nice lookin for sure!

White ear lobes are from Mediterranean birds, Minorcas, Blue Andalusians, Leghorns and they are all some of the best laying chickens you can find. With this guy having such a large comb at 5 months this may be Minorcas. The hens comb will get large but will then flop over.

I like the dark brown Buckeyes too. I think thats a great chicken color and so very pretty. Of course I am no help as to ID of anything.

Thanks all. I am pretty happy to have Minorcas instead of more Jerseys. These young chickens also seem to behave as I have learned that Minorcas do. Yesterday I clipped the pullets' wings to keep them from flying over the fences. I've had a few others that flew a little but these fly a lot! I hope I clipped enough off; I've never done it before and was rather conservative in my caution.

Nyrita, I like the Buckeyes a lot. I wanted them as they are a vanishing breed. I can't wait until they start laying - should be any day now...

I really wish I was out in the country as I would breed one of the heratige breeds. Don't know which but I would get afew of any I was interested in to see. But unfortunately, thats not gonna happen for me. I will just have afew chickens as pets that lay eggs.

So do these lay brown eggs?

Yes, the Buckeyes will lay brown eggs. (The Minorcas will lay white.)

That is a huge comb for 5 months old!! What are the very dark red ones in the middle of the group pic?

The huge comb is one reason I thought he was a Minorca - that and the big white ear. The dark red pullets are five month old Buckeyes.

They sure are pretty. I like that really dark red. I need to google them. Have not heard of them.

Hey Porkpal, if you remember back about three months ago I posted a comment about five minorcas I had. I hated them, they are horribly flighty, and hate people. One day I just had enough of them and went out and shot all five and swore I would never have them again. They hate being around people. I'm really surprised that you said they are well behaved. Storeys illustrated guide, to poultry breeds also says the don't like being around people. See Pg 63 The leg color says they are indeed Minorcas...Hay

This message was edited Oct 8, 2010 9:30 PM

I too have five Minorcas and two of them are roosters. As soon as I realized they weren't all pullets, I began to use the (should be) patented Haystack rooster subduing technique - so far so good. The pullets are a bit less cooperative than the others and before I clipped their wings they did fly much too well, but they are not shotgun bait yet. I will have to look up that old thread.

They were good layers but several times when I would go into the coop to feed, water etc if one was in the nest they would fly up right into my face. Like that wasn't bad enough but they would upset the whole flock with their fidgety flightiness. No shotgun here, .22 it's good for long range. I sure hope you have better success or you might want your giants back...lol...Hay Interestingly enough Ken Boy was right on about mediterranean birds, in fact they look much like the dark brown leghorns, except for the leg color. Have a great day my dear...Hay

So you agree that these are indeed Minorcas? They certainly do tend to fly straight up whenever I try to catch them. I still have several Jerseys and like them a lot but I've never had any white egg layers so a little variety is OK. If I had to have an accidental rooster or two, Jersey Giants might have been cool though.

Well I'm not impressed with my Minorcas. Not only are they flighty but at seven months old they have yet to lay an egg! The roosters are okay (as roosters go) they don't savage the hens and are gentlemanly with me, but these pullets have looked mature for two months and NO eggs!

sell them, trade them, eat them, or give them away lol

I don't want a flighty chicken either

I always have trouble parting with any of my animals. I guess I'll at least keep them to see just how long it takes them to lay.

OK Porkpal this is when we split in opinions. I say get the gun out and get you target practice in. Comon Annie Oakley you can do it. Let em havit...LOL...Hay

I have 1 of those too, but it goes to the neighbors gumbo pot soon as he gets back from visiting relatives...haha so no shootin for me to do yet. It came from Tractor Supply when my grandson was down visiting and he wanted some baby chicks while he was here..sigh..

He looks like my White-faced Black Spanish did as youngsters. I had two Roos, and two hens. One roo lost to accident, the second protecting his hens. They are not the friendliest, but they didn't get a whole lot of attention as littlies, either. The hens are good layers, and I like them :)http://www.backyardchickens.com/breeds/white_faced_black_spanish/3524

Yes, the Minorca is an ancient breed that originated in Spain also and does look like the White-Faced Spanish. I don't know whether they are closely related or not. I don't find mine particularly objectionable. They are reasonably sociable but they definitely over-react when startled. The roosters are gentle, mostly, I suspect, because of the rooster subduing technique I learned from Haystack. They just need to get on with the laying process!

Well my Minircas finally started laying last week, but (and Haystack will get a kick out of this) they don't lay in the nestboxes, they lay in the hay stored on top of the coop. Nonconformists to the end!