RIR chick, dark stripes? And Silkie colors!

[NapoleanGoose]

While I was at the feed store buying feed for my current flock, I managed to bring home 15 more chicks. It's all I need, but they were just so cute! I sold 6 when I got home to my neighbor, but I still have 9. I bought a mixture of bantam Silkies, Rhode Island Red chicks, and Barred Rock chicks. I've never had RIR chicks, only grown hens, and some of the chicks have dark stripes on their back and across their eyes. These are all supposed to be pullets, except the banties. I'll get pictures in a moment.

I also have 4 banty silkies and I know 2 are black, and I think one is white. But one is a bit bigger and more yellow. Is it a buff or another white? I'll try and get pictures of them too. And what is a vaulted skull? How can I tell if mine have them?

Thanks!
Sierra

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

You can tell if your chicks have vaulted skulls, they'll have crests.

Awaiting pictures ...

 

[NapoleanGoose]

Pictures!

Silkies!


The suspected white silkie

The yellower big one

And silkies are really hard to sex right?


One of the RIR's

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

1 White Silkie
2 Buff Silkie
3 & 4 RIR

 

[NapoleanGoose]

Okay, thats good! So the stripes don't mean anything? Some don't have them and are just red. And if they are bearded I would be able to tell now? Just a big puff on their chin, right?

 

[aussieheelr]

Not RIR sorry, they don't have stripes. Probably a production red would be my guess anyway.
And on the silkies, yes hard to sex. The first looks white the second looks buff.

 

[NapoleanGoose]

I don't think Belt hatchery has them? They have RIRs though. But I'll go with that. We named a couple and it is nice since you can pick them out from the rest.

Thank you!

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

Quote:
If it's a hatchery, then they are a production red. Most hatcheries call them RIR, though PRs are very close to a RIR but they have been slimmed down and are more for egg production. A pure RIR would be very dark in color.

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

The stripes you see on some RIR chicks comes from the "Wild" gene. I have 50 Heritage RIR's in the brooder right now and about 10 are striped on the back as well as the head and neck. About half of them are striped on the head an neck only. These chicks are also very dark in color. The hatchery RIR's are indeed RIR's(just a modified strain) and are not Production Reds. A Production Red is a cross between a RIR and a New Hampshire Red, and maybe a little something else mixed in. A Production Red is lighter in color than a hatchery RIR.

 

[NapoleanGoose]

Thats good! RIRs are such facinating birds. I have two hens now and I'm very happy with them. I bought 6 for next year. Thanks everyone for the quick and helpful replies!

Sierra