Same age but different sizes?

[deering]

I have 3 australorps that are less than a week old. Since the day they came home, there has been a big one, medium one and little one. The big one is considerably larger than the other two and now is getting tail feathers in before the others. These are my first chicks. And like most new parents, I'm filled with concerns. Mainly, is it likely that the biggest bird is a cockerel. Is it normal for them to develop at different rates yet still be the same sex? We live in the city and there is no way we can keep a rooster! If there is some early warning signs that it could be a rooster, I'd like to be able to prepare my kids for the disappointment.

Thanks,
Michele

 

[Eggcellent Adventure]

We are completely new to chicks too

. Just got our 4 red stars on Tuesday! They are all pullets (because of their color we can tell) and same age, but we have 2 that are bigger than the other two. They are also starting to really feather out on their wings compared to the other two. So from our VERY limited experience I can tell you in our new chicks there are size differences.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Did you get these chicks from a bin at TSC or similar feed store?

If so, you cannot know for certain that they are the same age. They could be as much as 10 days apart in age and this alone might explain their physical development. I picked up a dozen chicks and believe me, they are diverse in age. TSC can get deliveries weekly or twice a week, and "older", unsold chicks "hang around" until sold. The Manager, today, gave me a couple free Barred Rocks to day, just to move them out. They are getting wing feather already. BTW, their are gorgeous and healthy and that is all that counts.

 

[FMAFarms]

The previous poster is correct. When a new shipment of a certain breed or strain (such as Tetra Tints or Golden Comets) comes in, TSC wil usually just group them together but sell the older chicks at a reduced price. The bigger chicks were selling for 50 cents at our local TSC earlier this week. They were gone today. I wouldn't be surprised if this happens regularly at local feed stores.

If you got them from a hatchery, then that is unusual but not unheard of. There is always a weight and size range for chickens, even within the same breed. It's possible that one of your chicks came from a pair of larger Australorps while another came from a pair that was a little smaller. By their third week, they should be caught up in size to each other.

 

[deering]

Thanks everyone! They were ordered from a hatchery.