need id help of rural king chicks-long post

[pllutz]

He was sold as an amberlink but i have my doubts. I'm hoping he's not a freedom ranger but his legs are huge in my opinion.

These next 2 were in an easter egger/leghorn bin. So i got 3 of the chipmunk looking ones thinking that the little yellow chicks were the lehorns. What i realized is they weren't just white leghorns. One of the 3 is a brown leghorn. I've tried looking to see if these are easter eggers but they don't look like the pics I've found

*on a side note I'm pretty sure I'll need help with a few more cuz of chicken math at it's finest I'm thinking. Got 3 batches of 6 from rk and tsc respectively(1 died). I ordered 3(2 will supposedly be easter eggers) and they should come the end of may. Well a wk ago got 6 more. Thats my chicken math. Now Saturday my husband and I was at a tsc. 40 chicks for 40 cents (his chicken math) I was speechless and the whole way home i just sat there stunned. 20 meat(1st time dealing with these) and 20 to lay even more eggs.
I'm hoping someone can tell me what these 3 chicks are and in the future the questions concerning the million and one chicks I'm sure I'll need help id'ing unless of course they were sold as the right breed. Thanks in advance and I apologize for the book

 

[donrae]

First bird does look like maybe a Red broiler. the next two are pullets, but they both look like mixed breed birds to me. Makes me think something like Dixie Rainbows or something along those lines, what was the other name, Pioneers? Anyway, a specific hatchery's mixed breed slow meat bird.

 

[pllutz]

Ty. I was afraid of that for the cockerel and I like him too. Will i have to slaughter him for meat or can i keep him as my main roo? I have never dealt with meat chickens before so I have no clue as to how to proceed. Are the pullets a meat bird as well? Thanks again.

 

[donrae]

He's not a Cornish cross, so he's got a decent chance at living a good life. Thing is, he'll probably get very big, maybe too large for your hens. He'll also eat a crapton of feed, in exchange for.....what? I guess if you're using him to hatch meat bird chicks it may be worth it.

I've not kept any of these as roosters myself, but folks here have. One thing I do remember seeing is they're often very aggressive breeders, several folks have culled them as they were simply too hard on the hens.

 

[pllutz]

I appreciate your help. We've decided to take care of him when the time comes. Could you tell me about the pullets? Is that breed dual or meat? I've got lots of learning to do. I'll need help w/ some more but I've learned some chicks look the same and to wait on their feathers so it's better to tell the breed.

 

[Louise Waffles]

I ended up with a red ranger or freedom ranger rooster that was dumped at a neighbor's house with a buff orpington hen. He honestly doesn't eat that much feed, and is very sweet and gentle. He and his girl have their own yard, but they roost in a pack n play at night. I can't integrate him because the process was just so stressful for him,their hearts are not the best. I let a few hens hang with him at a time, but I have never seen him mate anyone.
His name is Jack, and he stays by Buttercup's side constantly. When she lays an egg, he is right next to her. She is very friendly, and runs to see me when I go outside, he ambles along at his much slower space.
If you want, you can give him a good life. I know they won't live as long as other chickens, but I do what I can for as long as I can.

 

[pllutz]

We named him bob (my youngest will jokingly blames bob for things so I figured why not name him after bob ). I haven't paid any attention to the amount he eats only that he lays down on the ground or roosts on the feeder when he eats more than he stand. Least it seems that way. Even though we decided we would cull him my hubby just said we could always separate him with the 2 pullets and raise ones for meat if I wanted. Guess I've still got some thinking to do. I got myself in the mindset to cull the Cornish rocks when they are ready but I've never personally culled a chicken before but I had a neighbor years ago cull an aggressive rooster that went after my son when I had chickens. I want him to have a good life no matter his purpose. It's been a few years now and there's a lot I need to learn and relearn. Luckily there is a place to go for that

 

[drumstick diva]

agree with donrae's posts

 

[pllutz]

Ty everyone. I know places like rk aren't really accurate about the breeds they sell but is it common to sell meat birds when they are supposed to egg layers?

 

[Louise Waffles]

I think it depends on the RK. Some are independently owned & operated, some not. One I go to has a Purina rep working there, everything is very neat an clean, all chicks & ducklings in those high rise brooders. They offer classes on keeping differeg kinds of poultry & rabbits, and have a farmers market in the parking lot. The other I go to has chicks & ducklings in stock tanks with heat lamps, almost all straight run. The store is dingy and over packed. Two very different stores, I wouldn't guess they were both RK. In both places, the majority of people working there know very little about keeping poultry. So, it just depends on the store.