Rhode Island Red white wings and belly?

[BethanyS]

I am a fairly new chicken owner we raised white leghorns in the spring and they we're all very uniform look almost exactly the same. we actually kept track of who was to by marking the tops of their heads with Crayola markers lol we ordered 8 chicks from Meyer hatchery and receive them in the mail yesterday. 2 golden buff 3 barred rock and 3 Rhode Island Reds 1 of the RIR is male. 2. of the Rhode Island Reds look very typical red in color with a few dark streaks here and there though the other 1 has a solid red back and head with a creamy white belly and wings. I will also add it is the bully of the group a bit better now but was actually dragging the other chicks b5y their feet last night! I sat with them until bedtime and gently tapped meanness on the beak when it decided to pull the other 1 legout from under them . lol I noticed it actually bit its own toe earlier... I'm pretty sure it thinks they are worms hehe im guessing th
is wild odd ball is my rooster...any input?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Unless you got the Rhode Island Reds from a reputable breeder, the odds are about 1000 to 1 against their being true RIR. No white is ever allowed on an a RIR. A great thread here on BYC is the Heritage Rhode Island Red thread. Lots and lots of photos of what they are supposed to look like.

I would start here, on the last page and work my way backward.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/407294/the-heritage-rhode-island-red-site/2190

Welcome to BYC. We hope you enjoy the forum!!!

 

[BethanyS]

I spoke to a lot of people who praise Meyer Hatchery they even host their own chicken shows. I'm wondering if maybe it is a mix up and it's a completely different breed. If I can figure out how to add pictures to post I will. it is in the middle of my avatar picture. spread his wings and the tip feathers are starting to come in and they look a touch red but some white

 

[Fred's Hens]

Bethany, if you aren't interested in breeding pure bred birds or showing birds at APA sanctioned events, it will not matter. I've gotten Golden Buffs from Meyer and they were very healthy, productive birds. Hatcheries make all kinds of red birds, none of them are true to breed type, in that Standard of Perfection kind of way. Just aren't.

But, hatchery red birds are terrific layers, no matter. You'll enjoy them and that's probably all that counts. Have fun.

 

[BethanyS]

Im very impressed with them.They are all wonderful active and extremely healthy.I
m not concerned i love its individuality. Its defiantly going to be the boss.i just like knowing all i can. wondered if a more experienced person would say its obviously a certain other breed or if it was for sure a rooster RIR.im kinda in hopes its a hen so i can easily id all my reds.i can't wait for my first brown egg! i spoiled my leghorns and they r SO picky but lay nice eggs not extremely dark yolks though...i have practacly beg them to eat most veggies!.im looking forward to teaching these girls to graze and forag. iv got trays of grass n clover growin in the window thanks Fred

 

[KatD]

RE: Meyer Hatchery. In July I received "Dominique" chickens from them, seven pullets and a cockerel. One died. So I ordered my guaranteed replacement plus the two I had to buy to accompany it on mail order. I ordered a cockerel because I didn't know if it was the cockerel who died. I paid for sexing and they banded the cockerel but the band came off during shipping apparently, because it was in the bottom of the box upon delivery. by the time the birds crowned, one of the three had a single comb and three of the seven had a single comb. I had two roosters, one of each. So as it turns out my "Dominique" appeared to be four Barred Plymouth Rock and six Dominique but as they continued to develop there were further discrepancies in size and shape and no two were the same. The same can be said for the eggs. There are small medium and large eggs. Nicely, someone lays double yolks once a week. At any rate. My first impression was that some eggs were mixed up on the first order but when I got roughly the same ratio later I thought it was a major error, then later when the fully developed birds were all so terribly inconsistent with two birds that had deformed yet functional feet, I realized that this was a terrible breed stock. They didn't mix the eggs up. obviously they sold me garbage. So while I had planned to breed Dominique now I realize I can't breed these chickens as they are too messed up. I will have to eat them. The only thing I can say nice about Meyer Hatchery is they are nice to deal with and I can get only three chicks if I choose, but what do you get? I'm am so discouraged from ordering from them that I bought from the feed store even though the chicks are a mixture of breeds just so maybe they will be good quality chicks. I would like to be sure to have what I order and not have to purchase 15 - 25 chicks for my back yard. Not to impressed with Meyer Hatchery although may be stuck with them if I cannot find folks to split an order form Murray McMurray.

That being said, Red sex linked / Red Stars are very popular and they have some white on them. They will be lighter. If you google Rhode Island Reds, New Hampshire, production reds and red star/red sex linked , you will know what the birds should look like in the end. All these birds lay well. I wanted Rhode Island Red and I purchase six red pullets from the feed store which now appear to have white wing tips at two to three weeks old. I suspect I have Red Star.

Good luck.

KatD

 

[enola]

If you don't mind butchering cockerels you can order your hens in small numbers and have McMurray fill the order with broiler chicks.

 

[BethanyS]

Update...very late.my odd chick was my roo.He looks like a big beautiful Road Island Red and he's actually very nice to his hens.They all were very healthy from day one and lay through winter.In guessing hatching in Nov helped winter production.I don't give them much feed and when I do its just hand full of grain so I tend to only get 2-4 eggs good sized eggs a day from the 6hens.If I pump up feed I'll get 5or 6 but I prefer the dark yolks and encouraging them to free range.All in all I am impressed with the birds.The golden buffs are sweet and enjoy petting even hugs from children lol