# Chicken ID and some help.



## Lucifus (Aug 30, 2007)

Bought two hens about four days ago. Both are alert and looking fine but would like an ID on the Blue/Black hen. (Pic below)

Also neither of them is using their perch. Both tend to lay down in the corner. Is this normal or something wrong with the setup? Will try to get a pic of it soon.

Bird in question:


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## gnipper (Feb 13, 2007)

I'd say its a hybrid layer called a blue belle. Are they both POL's? If so they have probably never seen a perch before and will soon work out what its for.


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

bluebelle & light sussex


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## Mynki (Mar 24, 2010)

pigglywiggly said:


> bluebelle & light sussex


Agreed. Nice grass in the pic. That will all be gone in a couple of weeks! lol


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## vonnie (Aug 20, 2007)

Not all birds will use a perch. A couple of mine have always preferred the nestbox !

How high is it off the ground?


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## Lucifus (Aug 30, 2007)

gnipper said:


> I'd say its a hybrid layer called a blue belle. Are they both POL's? If so they have probably never seen a perch before and will soon work out what its for.


They had a perch in their enclosure when we bought them. If they used it or not im not sure. :lol2: I take it they will be ok if they dont use a perch?



pigglywiggly said:


> bluebelle & light sussex


Thanks as well. : victory:


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## Lucifus (Aug 30, 2007)

Mynki said:


> Agreed. Nice grass in the pic. That will all be gone in a couple of weeks! lol


Dont I know it. Between the Rabbit and the Chickens I don't think I will have grass for much longer. :lol2:



vonnie said:


> Not all birds will use a perch. A couple of mine have always preferred the nestbox !
> 
> How high is it off the ground?


First one was low to the ground, altered it to be a bit higher. I picked one up and placed it on the perch too see if it would take to it but all I had was furious clucking. Just placed a nestbox in as well. Both are 28 weeks so not going to lay just yet but placed it in so they can get used to it. Will see if they start sleeping in that too. :blush:


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

none of mine have ever perched, i`ve never taught them tho.

what sort of perches are they though? wonder if you`ve got them the right shape of wood, its not round like for a big budgie is it?


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## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

Some of mine perched, but I had to teach most of them by just putting them there at night, most will stay and stops them sleeping in their own sh1t.
Also, if they were bought together the sussex bird is probably another hybrid - eg a Sussex star.


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## gazz (Dec 9, 2006)

Sorry but it's Crossbreed not Hybrid.

*Crossbreed*, Domestic chicken X Domestic chicken.









*Hybrid*, Domestic chicken X Pheasant.









*Backbreed*, Domestic chicken X Jungle fowl.(One below is a F1).


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

if you want to be picky gazz both are hybrid pol hens.

( hybrid = offspring resulting from crossbreeding )

the bluebell is a hybrid layer, and the other one is a utility strain light sussex - they are bred for meat and egg output, not to look pretty on the show bench like the pure show strain is.


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## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

gazz said:


> Sorry but it's Crossbreed not Hybrid.
> 
> *Crossbreed*, Domestic chicken X Domestic chicken.
> image
> ...


You know full well that utility cross breed chickens are referred to as hybrids, by every poultry keeper in the country.
Although not technically correct, that is what they are called. Noone here thinks they're actually crossed species so don't try and be smart.


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## oldtyme (Mar 16, 2008)

gazz said:


> Sorry but it's Crossbreed not Hybrid.
> 
> *Crossbreed*, Domestic chicken X Domestic chicken.
> image
> ...


*Hybrid*, Domestic chicken X Pheasant. look nice


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## gazz (Dec 9, 2006)

oldtyme said:


> *Hybrid*, Domestic chicken X Pheasant. *look nice*


Is that visually or to eat :lol2:.


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## Lucifus (Aug 30, 2007)

pigglywiggly said:


> the bluebell is a hybrid layer, and the other one is a utility strain light sussex - they are bred for meat and egg output, not to look pretty on the show bench like the pure show strain is.


Still fantastically good looking chickens. Wont compare to some of the more ornate bantams but still a very nice chicken.


A few questions if I can though......

1) How the hell do you clean a chickens bum. They have torn the grass up which means a fair bit of soil underneath is on them. Bums looking a bit dirty so need to clean em. :lol2:

2) My bluebell has some red on its chest, cant see any spurs on its legs so is it still most likely a hen?

3) When do we worm them and what with?


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## Lucifus (Aug 30, 2007)

And pics to top it off.

The chicken in question:











Their house:


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## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

Because they're hybrids they will almost certainly be hens, cocks are normally culled at hatching. I wouldn't worry about cleaning their bums unless they're covered in poo.
The modern fancy hybrids are good looking hens. In my opinion as good looking as most pure breeds.
Bluebells are one of my favourite, beautiful birds.
You can worm them now, and then every six months or so. I'd use either flubenvet in their food/water or ivermectin which will kill mites, fleas and ticks too - dose is one drop per 500g of bird. I normally use 4 drops per bird. Not liscenced for poultry but works well - withdrawal period of two weeks for the eggs though. So you may aswell do it now before they start to lay.
Verm-x is the natural alternative, not sure myself if it works but I noticed that it was a very good tonic for the birds and will probably help prevent parasites rather than kill them.
Also get yourself some anti-redmite products and delousing powders. Diatomic earth is brill.


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