Red Ranger, Heritage RIR, or mystery birds?

[chicknshrimp]

We got hatching eggs from a breeder that were supposed to be Red Ranger broilers but we are wondering if they were switched and we got something else. We hatched out two and they're about 10 wks old now. They look like layers, they're small, dainty birds, with no muscle and with beautiful dark red feathers with some black and look like they have rose combs.

Since we only hatched out two "broilers" we purchased 6 freedom rangers that were a week younger but have been much larger from the start. The freedoms are huge with thick legs, wide stance, and tons of muscle, they look like a slightly more functional version of a cornish.

I know people say that red rangers and freedom rangers are basically the same thing but ours look nothing alike, mostly in size. There is no way that we could process these reds at 10 wks when were going to do the freedoms, and I don't think that they would be big enough to eat for months if not ever, there just isn't much to them. Theyre the same size and weight as my layer chicks that are a week younger.

Were wondering if maybe we got some other type of egg. The breeder also does heritage RIRs and some other barnyard stuff so I guess its possible they were switched.

Any ideas what they could be?

Heres some pics with "mama", a BO and some of the freedoms are in the background.

 

[chicknshrimp]

Here are some hopefully larger pics

 

[Kelsie2290]

Could they have peacombs and be Buckeyes?

 

[Michael OShay]

The pictures are awful small and blowing them up would help, but I agree, they look like Buckeyes.

 

[chicknshrimp]

 

[donrae]

I'd contact the seller and ask. I think Buckeye's have pea combs, and those look like rose combs to me. The dark mahogany color could mean some RIR heritage, but something else gave that comb.

 

[Michael OShay]

Thanks for the close up pics. It makes the combs much easier to see. Donrae's right, those are rose combs not the pea combs of Buckeyes. I think these birds are a mixed breed.

 

[Kelsie2290]

RIR do come rosecombed, they are uncommon compared to the singles, just would be kind of odd that the breeder didn't mention it.

 

[chicknshrimp]

Update on my mystery birds... The breeder never responded to my emails, I can only think that he knows he mixed up the hatching eggs and doesn't want to answer to it. I'm not mad, just curious! The breeder sells quail, meat birds, buff orps, red rangers (which is what we were trying to order) and heritage rhode island reds (although he advertises single combs and these birds are rose). All I can think is that these have to be rhode island reds.

Here are updated pics of Pumpkin the hen and Pablo the roo (he doesn't look too manly but he's a roo for sure). They're 14.5 wks now. For size reference you can barely see their surogate mom, Peachy the BO next to Pablo.

Pumpkin



Pablo


You can also see Pablo modeling a very fashionable velcro rooster collar... hence the puffy neck. So far no crowing since the collar was fitted 3 wks ago, hopefully we got it before he really figured it out.

 

[K Spot]

They look like Rosecomb Rhode Island Reds