Breed ID! Help!

[RobinS1217]

@RobinS1217 They're sometimes called broilers or CornishX/Cornish cross. They're 'meat' birds rather than 'egg' birds.

They go from the size chick in the picture, to the size birds you buy at the grocery store in the meat aisle in about six weeks.

So they' re bigger WAY faster even as cute little peeps. Normal egg laying varieties take months to mature.

No worries for you though, you got the egg kind!

Shew! Close one. No meat birds wanted here-yet!

 

[house1917]

@RobinS1217 One more thing on RIRs. Over the next few weeks they'll likely get wing feathers that are mottled browns, white, red, black- kind of cool looking. That's totally normal for the breed.

They'll end up a solid, pretty dark, rusty red (with a few black or lighter feathers on wings and tails) but their early feathers can vary a lot.

Finally, you may need some patience between now and 6-7 weeks from now. That's when you'll know for sure you got all pullets. RIRs from hatcheries can get combs pretty early so it may may you second guess but you're on the right site for questions, photos of similar chicks, etc!

 

[RobinS1217]

@RobinS1217 One more thing on RIRs. Over the next few weeks they'll likely get wing feathers that are mottled browns, white, red, black- kind of cool looking. That's totally normal for the breed.

They'll end up a solid, pretty dark, rusty red (with a few black or lighter feathers on wings and tails) but their early feathers can vary a lot.

Finally, you may need some patience between now and 6-7 weeks from now. That's when you'll know for sure you got all pullets. RIRs from hatcheries can get combs pretty early so it may may you second guess but you're on the right site for questions, photos of similar chicks, etc!Th

@RobinS1217 One more thing on RIRs. Over the next few weeks they'll likely get wing feathers that are mottled browns, white, red, black- kind of cool looking. That's totally normal for the breed.

They'll end up a solid, pretty dark, rusty red (with a few black or lighter feathers on wings and tails) but their early feathers can vary a lot.

Finally, you may need some patience between now and 6-7 weeks from now. That's when you'll know for sure you got all pullets. RIRs from hatcheries can get combs pretty early so it may may you second guess but you're on the right site for questions, photos of similar chicks, etc!

Thanks so much for all of that information. Very helpful. May I ask- is there a certain age it’s okay for them to be on grass? We’ve got them set up in a rapid hutch during the day. They’re enjoying it but 2 out of 19 have tiny scabs on their feet. Wondering how on earth they could potentially have bumblefoot.

 

[house1917]

As long as the grass is dry, they can go on little field trips now.

They love to scratch and peck from the get go.

Because they don't have a hen to scurry under it will be helpful to watch if they huddle- they're scared or cold, or if they let out a distress chirp- they think they've lost their flock.

Specific to bumble foot, unless there's an accompanying lump or abscess it could just be little wounds- is the rabbit hutch floor wire or solid?

Bumble foot is a staph infection so gloves are best.

There are threads and photos of bumble foot on this site that have protocols for chicks- hopefully it's just a little sore and not a bigger mess.