Are my RIRs both pullets?

[Tigertrea]

I think so....4 weeks today.



Another pic of both


Hope these pics are ok. If not I'll try for more.

 

[hokankai]

I would say yes, but I would wait at least one more week juuuust to be sure. I had one that looked like a pullet until 4 weeks and then turned red overnight.

 

[Tigertrea]

I would say yes, but I would wait at least one more week juuuust to be sure. I had one that looked like a pullet until 4 weeks and then turned red overnight.

Thanks. I also know that these are not the best pics to tell from. One does seem a little darker in colour than the other already but, until this week they were indistinguishable from each other (I still can't tell them apart most of the time....glad I never had twins LOL)

 

[hokankai]

Haha, yeah. I wouldn't look at feather color, but at the comb and wattles. If you had a boy the comb would be getting bigger and redder, but right now they are very pullet-y (small and yellow).

 

[aoxa]

Those are not RIR chicks. They are production reds or red sex-links.

Both appear to be pullets.

 

[Tigertrea]

Those are not RIR chicks. They are production reds or red sex-links.

Both appear to be pullets.

Thank you. They are hatchery stock so, who knows. I did order RIR though. I hope in the future, if I keep with chickens to get some birds that are not hatchery! Even my BRs aren't "right".

As a pure bred dog breeder who shows, works my dogs and breeds carefully I know the frustrations of having well bred animals and looking at poorly bred ones when somebody says "yeah it's a ....". I see Huskies walking down the street (and in the vet clinic I work at) that people are so proud of..."I have a pure bred Husky". When I look at them I have a hard time biting my tongue and not telling them all the reasons why that dog is not well bred, even if they were told the parents were both "pure" Siberian Husky. LOL.

So, even if both parents were supposedly RIR, I am sure they were not "well bred".

 

[aoxa]

Thank you. They are hatchery stock so, who knows. I did order RIR though. I hope in the future, if I keep with chickens to get some birds that are not hatchery! Even my BRs aren't "right". As a pure bred dog breeder who shows, works my dogs and breeds carefully I know the frustrations of having well bred animals and looking at poorly bred ones when somebody says "yeah it's a ....". I see Huskies walking down the street (and in the vet clinic I work at) that people are so proud of..."I have a pure bred Husky". When I look at them I have a hard time biting my tongue and not telling them all the reasons why that dog is not well bred, even if they were told the parents were both "pure" Siberian Husky. LOL. So, even if both parents were supposedly RIR, I am sure they were not "well bred".

Getting chicks from a hatchery is like getting a puppy from a pet store. They don't care about the temperament of their stock, or their quality. You can not buy real RIR from a hatchery.

Here is mine behind my Show Quality BO - You can see how dark she is. I would not classify her as Show Quality - because I really don't know. But she is breeder quality, and does fit the standard. She looks a little rough right now because she is my rooster's favourite.

Here is one of my exhibition Barred Rock chicks. They come from a long feathering line. Here is the line they come from. Really there is no comparison. Hatchery chickens do their job, and they are very useful, and can be great pets. However, if you want quality - you can not find it from a hatchery.

 

[speckledhen]

This RIR brother and sister pair are from breeder stock. In the pics they are almost 6 weeks old.

First, the cockerel, then the pullet, for comparison-note leg size and combs:

 

[Tigertrea]

Thanks for the help.

Gorgeous birds!

Maybe I should start looking now for when I need to replenish/add in a couple of years. Being in the extreme south of Canada (Essex county is called Canada's South shore LOL) getting birds can be a chore. (I found the "canadian breeders" thread)

I doubt I'll ever show......nothing in my area anyway I don't "think". But, then there are not many dog shows in my area either and I've been at that for something like 23yrs LOL. I may think about breeding for my own stock in the future though.

I really just want a few birds to keep around, get some eggs and maybe some meat on occasion. It is more of a self sufficiency thing for us than anything else. BUT, I certainly do understand the frustrations. I think when I do get more I'll be looking at people who do the work to produce decent birds! I hate to support "puppy bills" or, in this case "chick mills"! I kind of wish I'd know better....Oh well. My first pure bred dog was from a puppy producer posing as a "quality" breeder. Did similar with the birds....Live and learn!

 

[aoxa]

Thanks for the help. Gorgeous birds!

Maybe I should start looking now for when I need to replenish/add in a couple of years. Being in the extreme south of Canada (Essex county is called Canada's South shore LOL) getting birds can be a chore. (I found the "canadian breeders" thread)

I doubt I'll ever show......nothing in my area anyway I don't "think". But, then there are not many dog shows in my area either and I've been at that for something like 23yrs LOL. I may think about breeding for my own stock in the future though.

I really just want a few birds to keep around, get some eggs and maybe some meat on occasion. It is more of a self sufficiency thing for us than anything else. BUT, I certainly do understand the frustrations. I think when I do get more I'll be looking at people who do the work to produce decent birds! I hate to support "puppy bills" or, in this case "chick mills"! I kind of wish I'd know better....Oh well. My first pure bred dog was from a puppy producer posing as a "quality" breeder. Did similar with the birds....Live and learn! 

I am not far from you In New Brunswick - Moncton area here. You would be surprised at how many shows there are. I joined a fur and feather club and am a member of the poultry association. It took me a while to find quality breeders, but you find them at shows. The first four I got were not from a good place. All but one died, and the one that made it is a mutt. They were way too inbred and they did not thrive.

You can always find people who will ship you eggs, and Kijiji is a good place to start. Best thing to do is to research what breeds your getting and what they SHOULD look like. That way when you go to the breeders you will know if what you are getting is decent quality.