I don't really know anythign about the comets, so I don't know if they have RIR or not ...
I looked them up online and I really really like the looks of the Dark Brahma - but everyone everywhere says the Comets are the better layers. I still want some BOs though. and maybe a couple more Comets.
My original list was Black Sexlink, Barred Rock, Buff Orpington and Gold Sexlink. I couldn't wait either so I went to a gal about an hour away that had early ordered and had a great variety. I ended up with 2 BO, 2BR, 2 Gold Comet, 2 GLW, 2 Buff Brahma, and 4 EE. 2 weeks later I put together a new brooder because I couldn't resist the silkies at the feed store.... so I got 4 of those. One died and I replaced it with 2 Polish, a Speckled Sussex, and a Leghorn.
THEN today I got the call that my original order came in!!! So I moved the oldest (5 weeks) into the mini coop in the garage, moved the 2-3 weekers into the big brooder, and just have my silkies and >1 weekers in the tub. I asked the feed store if they minded if I shorted my original order and they said that was fine. So my plan was to only pick one bantam to replace the one they owed me for. But of course I had to look in the tubs while picking one out. In the bantam tub I found another AWESOME Polish, 2 more silkies, a teeny bean that I think is a D'Uccle, and then had to get 2 RIR, and 2 Black sexlinks. I was about to leave when I thought I'd peek at the EE because all 4 of mine at home were about the same coloring and they had one beautiful gal! She's silver and bluish with deep red....and she's the FATTEST, roundest chick I've ever seen!
So I think I'm at a solid 30 now....and going to hide from my husband when he gets home from being at out town this weekend
Oh I so don't need 30 chickens!! Technically, however, my run is big enough.... but my hen house isn't. (repeat: my house is not big enough!)
gonna repost this in case there is a reply out there:
I have a brooder light hanging on the rubbermaid box they are in. They stay under the light, but don't lay together / piled up. Are they comfy? I have seen them up and about (the BRs have been "dusting" in the litter), but they sleep under the light.
The guy at the 2nd (or 3rd?) feedstore sold me just regular poultry grit... should I just go ahead and buy some parakeet grit since there are the 2 little babies?
I think your brooder temperature is about right - you want them moving in and out from under the light. Under it and/or huddled together all the time means chicks are too cold. Staying in the furthest corner from the light means too hot.
Whether you need grit at all depends what you are feeding your chicks. Most chick starter rations don't need grit, because the particles are finely ground. If you do need grit, very fine rock particles or sand are the best grit for chicks. Parakeet grit means different things in different places. I believe that it is unwise to give young chicks shell grit, because it releases too much calcium at once for their kidneys to handle.
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I just read that a golden comet is Rhode Island Red x Rhode Island White. I think my RIR chicks were a little more reddish color but it says that the red sexlinks can vary some in color.
All of the different kinds of red sex links such as golden comets, gold sex link, red sex link, red stars, cinnamon queens and so on either have rhode island red or new hampshire red as their paternal parent. If the parents are paired correctly then the female chicks will take on the look of the fathers and the male chicks will take on the look of the mothers.