Can you really tell at this age what they will turn out? Does anybody know? Cause I had some RIR's hatch. One was Buff and the other was nearly all Black. I know they are RIR. And now the Buff is starting to look alot like your 10 day ole bird you have in the pic. And I know it will eventually be an RIR. I am curious too if you can tell so early. Especially for what you guys are trying to do.
I would say it is too early to say how they will turn out. Even with my mille fleur pyncheons, they change so dramatically over the various feather moults they go through until maturity.
What might be good to know is which chick color variation leads to what pattern as an adult. I guess that would be very benificial to know ahead of time. Then you don't have to raise 400 chicks.
The chicks i pictured above will not be MF yet, they are a cross from speckled sussex and buff orpingtons... but some of these chicks(selected) above will be bred back to speckled sussex, also to some black mottled Orpington project birds and to each other as well. may even re cross against buff orp again?
Thanks for adding the pic's though..MF pic's are always helpful