Rhode Island Red Chicks that seem different....anyone know why?

[Boo-Boo's Mama]

DH picked up 6 RIR chicks today at TSC. One appears to be redder and does not have the lil pin feathers on the wings like some of the others. One is more yellow with a red line on either side of her back...think it is referred to as 'chipmunk'.

These are 'day old' chicks they received this morning before my husband arrived at the store. I was so surprised to see the little wing tips.

Do you suppose the one that is redder is a lil roo?

Peggy

 

[Carenm]

could they just be different ages?

 

[redrocketrooster]

Color only has a play when the chickens are sex-linked, this means that the hen has a different color than a roo. Example: Black sex link chicks are all black but males have white dot on their heads.
Rhode Island Reds are not sex linked (though they can be cross be). RIR is a popular breed and definitely not kept to standard so a variance of red, orange and yellow is to be expected.

 

[pwand]

Was just reading your post and wondered if you did indead get a rooster. I read that the RIR can have a black stipe or black spots on their heads are mostly girls.

 

[AccioSarah]

Quote:
Now I'm concerned!

One of my Plymouth rocks is doing the same thing. They are much younger (4 days old)- but three of them already have longer feathers. The one plymouth has very short, stubby wings...
I really hope they are all girls, because Roos are (strictly) not allowed where I live. I don't want to give up any of my babies!

We'll just have to watch too.

 

[jburts]

well I'm experiencing the same thing with my RIR have two of them and one is very slow growing I have pics posted on the new chicks
if it is a male coastal said I could find a home for it easy, so that is the reason I got one more chick than I wanted in case I got a roo,
but we ended up with a rooster two years ago and it grew just like the hens at same rate and when it was five weeks old it was drawing blood on us every time I put my hand in the kennel.
so far that is not happening this time around I say so far.

 

[jburts]