Did I get bantam chicks?

[Madisan]

Hi guys,
So I got 3 barred rock chicks from a guy who breeds chickens full time. He has every type of chicken you could probably think of. I was told they were hatched on October 15th and today is the 24th. But they are still the same size as when I got them? I have had them a week today and supposedly they were already 4 days old when I got them. Am I just being impatient? I have 3 week old chicks already in a different brooder and I got them when they were a week old and I remember them being a lot bigger and they are already huge compared to a week ago. And the barred rock chicks still have all of their baby down with tiny wings. I know they have a bantam size barred rock. Do you think they sound like bantams? I mean they are 9 days old and look like they were hatched yesterday... Thanks !

 

[Sonya9]

I have no experience with Barred Rocks (bantam or standard) but I do have OEG bantams. The bantam chicks are of course tiny but they feather out, race around, and start fluttering/flying at a much younger age than the standard laying breeds.

Perhaps Barred Rocks are slower to develop than some other breeds? I did buy two heritage RIR chicks this summer and I was shocked at how slow they were to develop, they grew but they were all down at 5 weeks old.

 

[shortgrass]

Are they pure bred? If so, you might have gotten the "runts", the chicks that lack vigor...

If not purebred, then chances of who-knows-what-roo-over-which-hen and random crosses are the result.

Bantams do stay smaller, feather in slower. I currently have a brood if 7 week olds, with one bantam Cochin/red Star cross chick( my Cochin wanted ONE chick, I guess lol), and her chick us very slow growing, and teeny compared to the broodmates just 3 weeks younger.

Crossing a standard with a bantam will most likely result is a small standard sized chicken, or a large bantam

 

[Madisan]

Yes I'm sure they are purebred. This guy had all his different breeds separated into different pens. He had a total of 22 barred rock chicks when I went to go get my 3. Maybe they are slow to develope? I've never thought of that. Or maybe I did get the runts? Who knows lol. But they act just like the others. Running around, pecking and learning to scratch the ground. If I did get the runts does that affect them any? Or does that just slow their development?

 

[Madisan]

Well I looked up to see if they were slow developers and some people said theirs developed fast and others were in the same boat as me

so I guess only time will tell.

 

[Madisan]

 

[Ray E]

Well I looked up to see if they were slow developers and some people said theirs developed fast and others were in the same boat as me

so I guess only time will tell.

well I have an easteregger same age as the test and almost half the size as the others less than 4 months and a barred rock at same age has grown rapidly mot huge but good sized

 

[Madisan]

I think I'm just being impatient. But they are definitely growing slower than other chicks I've raised

 

[Ray E]

Some birds do grow slower my barred rock is the same age as my EE's about 4 months she is bigger and my sexlinks are the same age and there fully grown just about I'm trying myself to figure she to replace 2 chica back 1 was suck and the other was the runt I imagine and didn't get to eat much have had her in for a week big difference patience its all learning my Rir rooster is the same age as my 4 month old sexlinks and he is huge good luck were are you from

 

[Madisan]

Florida