Do you eat your own chickens?!?

[Rainier]

One of the 4 or 5 "big buffs" next to what I *think* is a Barred Rocks or Black Austrolops.

I think you have a Rhode Island Red and a Barred Rock. The BR looks a lot younger than the RIR. That could explain the size different. As adults my BR is fuller while the RIR is leaner but taller.
My Rhode Island Red from a feed store (hatchery chick)

Barred Rock (from a neighbor)


Australorpe (feed store)

 

[Ridgerunner]

Since the chicks were hatched together and shipped together there is no age difference.

 

[huskerruth]

I have seen live meat bird chickens on craigslist here in Nebraska. Don't know how it would work in your location but usually someone is interested.

 

[sarahandbray]

Ok, phew! Murray McMurray got back to me after I sent a picture and assured me it's not one of their Cornish X birds that take special treatment!
Email said it was most likely either a Red Ranger or a Pioneer (Dixie Rainbow), though the also do sell RIR. The first two are supposedly multi-purpose--Roos can be slaughtered at 12 weeks for "market value" and hens lay large brown eggs.

Phew! I know that I'm going to have to part with all but one or two of the Roos, but I just didn't want to be feeding and caring for the birds improperly.

Thanks for all of the responses!

And no, I don't have any particularly large yellow or white birds. These buff with brown variegated feathers are the biggest I have. I do have smaller solid light yellow chicks--maybe White Leghorn? No bigger than the others. The 27 mystery chicks were a week old yesterday and my breeds that I specifically ordered are a week today, so in theory, they're all essentially the same age.

 

[roseyred]

One of the big ones next to (an admittedly) small Lavender Orpington.

Here's my Rhode Island Red when I first got her

And here she is now. Pretty dark red lil mama. She better start laying soon thoo

 

[KW Farms]

One of the 4 or 5 "big buffs" next to what I *think* is a Barred Rocks or Black Austrolops.

The one on the left looks like a pioneer/dixie rainbow to me.

 

[Folly's place]

I've ordered interesting mixed lots of chicks several times. It's fun!!! Find out the possible breeds from the hatchery, and then get on 'feathersite' to figure out the breeds you have. As the weeks go by, it will be possible to pick out breeds and the sex of your chicks. This year my 'mystery chick' was a Fayoumi; never would have ordered him, but fell in love and plan to get several next spring. You ordered straight run, so expect at least 50% cockrels; dinner or send elsewhere. Enjoy! Mary

 

[sarahandbray]

I though my "rare breed" free chick was a Turken (I have one of those in he surprise order) but that's listed as a regular breed! Think that's my surprise or one of the other I identified chicks? I don't have any Polish or feather-legged or Silkies.

Sarah