What is it?

[TPeers]

Question for all you knowlegeable bods out there....

When I got the new girls the bloke chucked in a hen for free because he didn't know her breeding.....

Having done some research based on her colours she looks like a Silver Dorking but with only 4 toes.....

Could that mean she is a cream legbar as I think they look similar?

Pottygraph to follow once I find a camera!

Oh... and what colour eggs is she likely to lay?

[Bramble-Poultry]

When we see a piccy will probably be able to give you a clue - she may be a cross of some sort, dorking cross maybe an option that way she may have the colouring but not the toes!

[TPeers]

Just downloading the pottygraphs...

The only thing the breeder was sure of was that the only cockrels in the run were an araucana (black) and a maran.

I think it was one of those opps clutches that seem to crop up and this is the only egg that hatched.....

[TPeers]

For comparison the hen behind is a cuckoo maran and approx 15-16 weeks old, Korma is supposedly 19-20 weeks old.

[RichmondHens]

There are all sorts of crosses out there that LOOK like something, but aren't. I have two extremely pretty bantams (cock and hen) that look very similar to Norfolk Greys, but I know for sure are not. They were some of my dad's stock which he gave me before he packed up keeping bantams and moved to a smaller place.

I have bred some very pretty crosses from Light Sussex bantam hens mated with the cock described above. Little silvery grey hens with pencilled ruffs who lay extremely well with a good sized egg. I was told they looked like Silver Sussex, but again, I know they are not.

When you look through breeds books there are an awful lot of breeds that look very similar to each other.

[RichmondHens]

Just seen your pic. She is certainly similar to a cream legbar, but they have a lighter build and a crest, which your bird doesn't. I believe the blue egg laying gene is carried by the male, so if the father was an Araucana, then it's possible she will lay blue eggs.

[TPeers]

Yes... I had noticed that! Hence asking all of you!

She is bulking up into a heavy fowl size which would imply maran rather than araucana to me and while her comb is small still it is a classic comb, not a rose.

Would help if I knew who or what 'Mum' was! I don't believe the bloke kept Dorkings, certaintly I never saw any but he was clearing stock prior to moving.

[Flummery]

Whatever, she is an extremely pretty bird for free. I wouldn't be fussed about the egg colour if someone gave her to me! She's lovely.

[TPeers]

Oh quite! She is so pretty it doesn't really matter - just TOH likes to know which hen laid what egg - fussy man.

[bluemoon]

She looks rather like my copper blue marans did at that age.

[MaureenHall]

She's a ................................................................................................ chicken and very pretty she is too

[TPeers]

Oh Wow! You think!?

Thanks Maureen I knew I could count on you!

[HayleyB]

Korma's a curry..............

Well actually to my inexperienced eye she actually looks like a cross between a Bluebelle and a Magpie - sorry shall I go find a hole to bury meslf in?

Quick Question - Does your cuckoo hold her tail very much to one side, she looks like she's doing it in the photo and it's just that Cookie our Cuckoo does that

[TPeers]

Yes she does!

[TPeers]

Thinking about it - Blackie holds her tail consistently to the right as you look at her and Korma to the left......

Left and right clawed hens?