Is this a bantam RIR?

[schmije]

I have 3 RIR chicks that are 2 weeks old. One of them is really small. I weighed everybody today, and she's 2 oz. The other two are 4 and 5 oz. I bought them from McMurray, and they're all supposed to be regular RIR. She seems to be eating and drinking normally as far as we can tell. She acts like the others and has no visible problems. She does tend to get pushed around by the others, but I think that's just because she's so small. Can anybody tell me if something might be wrong, or if she's a bantam, or if she's just the runt? She's the one in the middle.

 

[chickens asome]

no it is not a bantam it is just smaller and it is developing slower than the other one (i am not 100% sure though)

 

[Campine Lover]

Most likely a runt, but she should be fine. I had a small one from a hatchery, too. She has grown up to be a great layer, she is just slightly slimmer and, i think, prettier. Oh, and if they are from a hatchery they are not "true" RIR's because u can only get true one's from breeders. They are Production Reds. I learned that the hard way. Production reds lay more, eat less, and mature faster, if i recall. I was hoping to show my rir's but they turned out to be production. Sigh... good luck with those cuties!

Mama to-
2 Rhode Island Reds, 1 Silver Laced Wyandotte, 2 Silkies, 2 Modern Game Banties, 1 Black Sumatra, 1 Golden Campine, 1 Bearded Buff Laced Polish, and 1 Birchen OEG banty, 1 horse (soon to be 2) 3 cats, 1 dog, and several fish.

 

[schmije]

Thanks for the help. I don't show my birds, so I don't really care how 'true' the breeds are. I want big eggs, so I'm not interested in bantys. I hope she'll start to catch up with the others soon. It's become really obvious in the last couple of days that they're leaving her in the dust. I don't want her to get so far behind that she can't hold her own in the flock. DH wants to keep her, because he's convinced she'll be our best layer.

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

I'm in a similiar situation. I have a little production red who is half as small as the others and is developing just a tad slower. She's my favorite, and is my tamest chick out of my other 6 production reds. Surprisingly she's just as active, if not more than the other chicks. I think my runt will grow up to be a good lap chicken!

 

[ericsplls]

She should be fine. What I don't get is I know I've seen at least one hatchery that sells both production reds and RIR. They look identical and too light for a true RIR. They do lay lots of eggs and mine are the same size as large ones at the grocery.