Help! RIR or Buckeyes?

[Scottiemom]

My local feed store ordered me in some Buckeye chicks, but they were sent mixed with his order of RIR! I called the hatchery they order from for help (which is only one of the many reasons I didn't really want to get hatchery birds, but that is another story). I asked why they would send them mixed like that when one breed was a special order. She was surprised that they did. Well, I was standing right there when he opened the box, so I know exactly how they were shipped! Then she said she "couldn't help me, since they are both red birds, sorry!" Not impressed with their customer service.

Anyhow, I am hoping there may be some way to tell them apart, like the shading is a little different, or slightly different markings on the wings, or something. They are 2 day old chicks. Please, if anyone has any ideas, I am all ears!

 

[Kelsie2290]

RIR usually have single combs and Buckeyes should have peacombs, if you look really closely at the combs (magnifying glass helps) you may be able to tell the difference via that...peacombs usually look wider and flat, single combs usually narrow and a definite set of points even young. Cackle and other hatcheries have videos and pictures of the chicks of both breeds up you may be able to see the difference in the comb, the down color looks pretty much alike since they do vary some within the breed.

 

[Scottiemom]

Kelsie2290-
I think you may have saved the day! I took a look at the ones we thought were the Buckeyes an they had tiny little combs. So, I ran back up to my local feed store and checked out the rest of the order. And would you believe, five of the little girls at the store didn't have tiny little combs! Since I there were only supposes to be five Buckeyes in the order...we swapped the chicks I had already taken home for the "no comb" chicks.
Thank you so much for the tip! And I did check out the videos at Cackle. I couldn't really tell from that, but I hadn't seen their videos before and I thought they were a nice reference.
Thanks again!