Lori : Hi Gina, just started getting your newsletter. I really enjoy it and have learned a lot already. My husband and I are very new (and very inexperienced, especially in the beginning) at keeping chickens. But we sure have learned a lot in the past year. Our first 14 baby chicks we bought were straight run. We only wanted females but were talked into taking our chances. We ended up with 8 roosters and 6 hens.

They were supposed to be Australorps. But as you can see from these pictures they are mixed. We no longer have the roosters, because they became very aggressive toward each other, killing each other off. They were very calm and friendly toward us. We still have the 6 hens.

We don't care that they're mixed. We love them and think they're beautiful. But I'm just curious and was wondering if any of your readers could tell me what they think they might be mixed with. They all have the bluish-green sheen like the Australorps have. All the roosters (first 4 pictures) had white on their chest (like Dominiques or Barred Plymouth Rocks maybe?)...and orange feathers on their sides and backs. They were gorgeous. All the hens (last two pictures) have white around their necks and/or face.