Hatchery labeled Australorp with brown/red feathers

[RoxyBird]

I purchased 5 Australorps from our feed store this fall. There were *no* black sex links ordered by this particular store. These were the first chicks of fall and all they had ordered at that point were Australorps and red stars. So, I know the feed store didn't mix them up

They all looked very lorpy until I left town for the weekend! 4 had the typical white facial features/bellies/necks of lorp chicks, the fifth looked the same except she is all black around the eyes and beak.

4 are definitely pullets, and feathered in together with big foofy girl-lorp tails- including the pullet in question.

Here's the babies at 2 weeks (pullet in question is frontmost with no white around eyes/beak):



As you can see, the other 4 are very "lorpish." (I sure do hope other people call them "Lorps"... cracks me up)

Here's a close-up of lady in question at <1 week:



Anyway, I never questioned the lorp-ness...

HOWEVER, when I returned from my trip this weekend she had some red feathers around her face and neck/chest! Surprise!




















Did the hatchery make an accidental switcheroo and I ended up with a black star amongst lorps? I'm not complaining, she is super sweet and obviously a total ham for the camera.

I've just never seen lorps go through a red/brown feather stage... Sure they lose those last few white feathers as they mature... but reds?

Anyone have any idea??

 

[RoxyBird]

Also, her back/wing feathers are ruffled because I stole her from the midst of a dust bath... apologies to the lady. She is usually quite sleek and black/green/shiny

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

It is possible that she jumped the divider in the shipping box. It happens. She looks like a black sex-link.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

And others call Australorps "Lorps. I call my Orpingtons "Orps" all the time.

 

[Mac14]

I think that she is a mix. Maybe another breed had gotten into the Australorp pen. I do not think that she will lose her red feathers until a molt. I've got one and she looks different.

 

[RoxyBird]

Thank you both! That is a lovely hen!

 

[Panth]

I have several hatchery quality "Lorps" (lol) and one has a few brown feathers like yours and one has a few whitish grey feathers under her chin. I'm not sure what hatchery they were from as I got them from a friend.

 

[thetigress]

Could very well be a Australorp. I have 11 of them and our Roo that was breed between them has reddish-brown wing and back feathers. Well streaks of them. He is 19 weeks old. He was all black at first but them he is turning reddish-Brown. I know he is a Australorp for that is all we had. So yours could very well be the same. They could loose the color later but as of now - who knows.