What do baby chickens look like with 50+ breed examples
What is a baby chicken?
A baby chickens is called a chick and is the term for the newly hatched young of all types of chickens. Even baby meat chickens or broilers are called chicks as well. Baby hens and baby cockerels are all called chicks until they mature.
The two baby chicks in the header image above are Silver Laced Barnevelder bantam chicks.
Below: A video of one of my latest hatches of baby chicks.
The collective term for a group of chicks is a brood. It is normally used to describe a group of chicks that are all of the same age or belong to the same hen if reared naturally.
Below: This is what baby chickens look like before they hatch.
In a word - cute. Baby chickens are little balls of fluff that are delightful to have around. People sometimes call them peeps or peepers after the noise all baby chicks make in a brooder.
What do baby chickens or chicks look like?
When baby chickens or chicks first hatch they are between 1 and 3 inches tall depending on the breed. The colour varies from all yellow to all black with many patterns and other colours in between.
Below: The size difference between a bantam and a large fowl chick or baby chicken.
Baby chickens are always fluffy when they first hatch and begin to grow feathers within a day or two.
Chicks from different breeds can have different colours and patterns and you can even identify some breeds by the markings on the chicks.
Below is a list, in no particular order, of the 50 or so breeds we or some of our chicken keeper friends have hatched this year with pictures and video.
Below: Ancona chicks.
Ancona chicks are patterned with yellow, black and white.
Below: Andalusian mother hens and chicks.
Andalusian chickens are blue, black and splash and have complex colour genetics.
Below: Naked neck Chicks.
The Naked Neck is a breed of chicken that is naturally devoid of feathers on its neck and vent. The breed is also called the Transylvanian Naked Neck or Turken. Originally from Transylvania and was largely developed in Germany.
Below: Silver Laced Barnevelder large fowl chick.
The Barnevelder is a large soft feather breed from Holland.
Below: Gold campine chicks.
The Campine originates in the northern part of Belgium.
Below: 4 pictures of Seabright chicks. Silver, Silver, Gold and Gold.
The Sebright is a british true bantam.
Below: Polish chicks. Well known for their large crests.
More Polish babies.
Some older polish chicks.
Possible the cutest of all the chicks - Silkie cross naked neck or showgirl chick.
Below: Silver Laced Wyandotte chicks.
Gold laced wyandotte chicks.
The Wyandotte is an American breed of chicken developed in the 1870s. Called after the indigenous Wyandot people of North America. The Wyandotte is a dual-purpose breed, kept for its brown eggs and its yellow-skinned meat. It is a popular show bird, and has many colour variants and is available in both bantam and large fowl.
Below: The welsummer chicks.
The welsummer is a northern European breed from Holland. It lays a deep brown egg.
The Welsummer is one of the few chicks that can be pattern sexed.
Below: Vorwerk chicks.
and some slightly older vorwerk babies.
Below: Silkie chicks.
The Silkie has an extra toe, blue skin and soft fluffy feathers.
Below: A Blue Laced Barnevelder chick just starting to get it's feathers.
Below: Le Bresse Gauloise or the French chicken from Bresse.
La Bresse is known for its blue skin and bones and being a premium meat chicken in France.
Below: Marsh Daisy chicks.
The Marsh Daisy is a rare breed of chicken originating in Lancashire, England. The marsh daisy is one of the UK's rarest breeds. They are an old fashioned hens and a traditional utility chicken.
Below: Derbyshire Redcap chicks.
The Derbyshire Redcap is a breed of chicken originating in the English county of Derbyshire. The name "Redcap" derives from the breed's unusually large Rose-type comb.
Below: Silver laced Barnevelder bantams.
And an older Silver laced chick.
Below: Mottled Orpington chicks.
Below: Rhode Island Red chicks.
And some more Rhode Island Reds in better light.
Below: White Leghorns:
and some lavender Leghorn chicks (mixed in with a Guinea fowl keet.)
Below: 2 images of Buckeye chicks.
Below: A Buff Cochin chick.
2 more Cochin chicks.
Cochins are a breed that has feathery feet.
Below: Light Sussex Chicks.
A light Sussex delivered from hatchery.
The black tips to the wings and round the neck feather grow in later.
Below: A Pekin chick.
And some lavender Pekins.
And a few more Pekin chicks.
