Meyer Hatchery Mystery Bird

[davemonkey]

On day1 I pegged this one as a RIR. But the white wing tips don’t make sense. It’s the smallest of the chicks I ordered (this one came as the “homestead helper” in my Buff Orp order).
Back and head look RIR, but the rest doesn’t.
Chick is 3 days old (hatched Nov 17).

 

[DemeterAD9]

I've received the same breed as yours twice from Meyer's homestead helper freebie, one last year and another this year. Both were that adorable rusty color with yellow wings and both turned into what I assume are RIR cockerels. They could be a similar breed that they carry but RIR was my best guess. I ended up processing both of mine once they started chasing the girls a little too much.

Out of curiosity, did you also opt for the "meal maker" in your order? If so what did you get? I got a black EE pullet this year.

 

[davemonkey]

Thanks for the information. And yes, I also got a meal maker. Pretty sure it’s a Green Queen (has puffy cheeks, barely-feathered feet, and a light color).

 

[davemonkey]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/day-old-chick-id-legbar-or-marans.1680171/

This is a thread I started with more pics of the meal maker.

 

[Not-so Slick Chicken]

On day1 I pegged this one as a RIR. But the white wing tips don’t make sense. It’s the smallest of the chicks I ordered (this one came as the “homestead helper” in my Buff Orp order).
Back and head look RIR, but the rest doesn’t.
Chick is 3 days old (hatched Nov 17).
View attachment 4253852View attachment 4253853View attachment 4253854View attachment 4253855View attachment 4253856

There can be variation even in purebreds
Of the red breeds they sell, Rhode Island Red is most likely what you received.
They do sell Buckeyes, but they have a pea comb (I'm poor at identifying chick combs)

None of the other breeds quite match from what I can tell.

 

[davemonkey]

Here's an update on the little cockerel. I rehomed him, but was able to get some [not great] pics last night. Looks like a mottled RIR (if that's such a thing). Maybe they had some "oops" egg fertilization in one of the pens, and this is a result.

 

[DemeterAD9]

Here's an update on the little cockerel. I rehomed him, but was able to get some [not great] pics last night. Looks like a mottled RIR (if that's such a thing). Maybe they had some "oops" egg fertilization in one of the pens, and this is a result.

Glad to hear you found a home for him. IME the white feathering molts out once they mature a bit.

 

[NatJ]

Here's an update on the little cockerel. I rehomed him, but was able to get some [not great] pics last night. Looks like a mottled RIR (if that's such a thing). Maybe they had some "oops" egg fertilization in one of the pens, and this is a result.

That's definitely interesting. Mottling is a recessive gene, so it's not going to appear in any first-generation cross with a not-mottled breed.

I'm trying to think of what breeds already would have mottling, that Meyer sells....

Speckled Sussex? Leg color is wrong, but sometimes that happens with hatchery birds. But Meyer's chick photos show them with stripey heads, so probably not.

Jubilee Orpington? Leg color is wrong, but sometimes that happens with hatchery birds. I think one of the chicks in Meyer's photos is about the color this one was when you got him.
https://meyerhatchery.com/products/jubilee-orpington-day-old-chicks

Swedish Flower Hen? Lots of color options, generally have mottling, variable leg color, plenty of single combs in the pictures. Not all of them have crests. I'm thinking this could be a good fit.
https://meyerhatchery.com/products/swedish-flower-hen-day-old-chicks

When he finishes growing up, his size might help figure out if he's one of those. The Orpington mature weights are almost double the Swedish Flower Hen mature weights.

Or he could be a Red Ranger or one of their other mixes, given how many colors some of them can be.