Thanks for the input, and I did look at the pics on the google images. There was a red star in the batch too...and it was buff colored, no stripes! I went in with a few other people, so just hoping we got the right chicks! I hadn't seen any pics of RIR with stripes before....hoping they are RIR's! I just have those and black aussies. They are very active, eating and drinking, and extra cute.
Yep, that green stuff is the gro gel. I saw some people say their chicks turned their beaks up at it, but mine DEVOURED it! They loved it! It's all gone.
My "brooder" is working well, and the heat lamp is holding the heat at a constant temp, I'm happy. They spread all over the place, not huddling under the lamp, so I know they're comfortable. Only time they get loud is when I open the top to disturb them!
I was just puzzled by those stripes!
Angie