Question for those familiar with Rhode Island Red chicks

[Laffindog]

About three weeks ago or so, I bought four RIR chicks from a local feed store and they said the babies were about a week and a half old. They were little fuzz buckets, very cute. As these babies have grown and developed feathers, they just don't....look pretty. I'm not one for looks, it's not that, it's just that their feathering doesn't look all that uniform and smooth like my banty cochins and dark brahmas. I'm wondering if this is just normal for the RIR breed? Do they look "rough" until they get older? None of them seem to be pecking at each other.

Thanks!
L

 

[Goose and Fig]

They'll go through the dinosaur stage- some may even get a pattern on their feathers that will go away.
Have you checked for mites maybe? I think you can rub them down with a little sevin dust- but not sure if it's good to do at that young.

 

[Laffindog]

No, I haven't checked for mites. Would it be easy to see them, are they white? Or do you need a magnifying glass to see them?

 

[PortageGirl]

I have always loved RIRs, and yes, they seem to go through a scruffy stage perhaps a bit more than other breeds, I personally think they are generally a quite hardy breed that feathers out quickly which makes them look scruffy quickly. This may be my delusions, but so it seems to me. They're good sound birds to have around!

 

[greyhorsewoman]

I second that they definitely go through an 'ugly' stage. I had a batch of blkstars (Rhode Island crosses) and those little gals looked pretty pathetic at a certain age.

 

[Laffindog]

Thank you both for your responses, it makes me feel better for them if that's pretty much the "norm". I will still check them for mites, just to be sure.