Rhode Island Red Meat Bird What Happened??

[Jackie FL]

Long story short I just found out that one of my RIRs is most likely a meat bird not a layer. I feel so bad for her, she eats and drinks but lays down all the time and walks very little. Her breast feathers are a huge mess because of it. I would not have a problem with letting her live out her life making her as comfortable as possible but I don't want her to suffer, would it be best to have her put down? She is 12 weeks old today, full red comb, red waddles, huge feet and kinda splayed large legs. I raised her since she was 1-2 days old. I have been told that her heart etc. will give out because of her large size etc., don't know how true that is being new to having chickens but at the rate she has grown compared to the other RIR it could be true. I probably know the answer to my question but has anyone else gone through this? How could this have happened when I believed I was purchasing layers from a local reputable store.
Thank you

 

[Kiki]

Could you post a few pictures of her?
Doesn't sound like a RIR.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Could you post a few pictures of her?
Doesn't sound like a RIR.

x2

Do you free range your chickens? I have heard that free ranging helps a lot.

 

[Jackie FL]

Could you post a few pictures of her?
Doesn't sound like a RIR.

I will try to get photos, not sure how to send them though. I bought 2 RIRs, looking at photos of other RIRs they sure look the same except the size of the one I wrote about.

 

[Jackie FL]

x2

Do you free range your chickens? I have heard that free ranging helps a lot.

I'm going to but have been putting it off, worried about "Reilly", she would not be able to run to the coop if she needed to, easy prey. We have added a fenced small run to their coop which she goes into, actually 1st one out in am! Maybe free range the others and keep her in the fenced pen?

 

[Jackie FL]

Could you post a few pictures of her?
Doesn't sound like a RIR.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

I'm going to but have been putting it off, worried about "Reilly", she would not be able to run to the coop if she needed to, easy prey. We have added a fenced small run to their coop which she goes into, actually 1st one out in am! Maybe free range the others and keep her in the fenced pen?

What I meant is that free ranging would help Reilly, so that he could get exercise.

From those pictures it looks like you have a red ranger rooster, not a rhode island red hen.

 

[YdogsflY]

That is definitely a cockerel. Can't say it's a breed I am familiar with, so Roosters probably has it right with Red Ranger.

 

[keesmom]

Yup, that bird is male. I think red broiler as the rangers I had in the past were still very mobile at 12 weeks.

 

[Jackie FL]

What I meant is that free ranging would help Reilly, so that he could get exercise.

From those pictures it looks like you have a red ranger rooster, not a rhode island red hen.

Thank you all for the info. Wow, the 2 chicks looked exactly alike when I got them, then all of a sudden "Reilly" shot up. I hope the other one is really a RIR. How could this happen? Do Red Ranger roosters lay down most of the time and walk like they have splayed legs? What can I do about his breast that has loads of missing feathers from laying down on damp sand most of the time?