Splash Barnevelder, is this normal?

[JecaRaven]

I bought three chicks last Thursday. Each from a different breed. I handpicked each chick from their breed sorted boxes. I noticed that my splash Barnvelder and the rest of the chicks in that box had less developed wing feathers. I mentioned that to the lady who is selling them to me, and she said that some breeds mature faster than others. All three of the chicks that I bought were hatched on the same day, but I I am noticing that the speckled Sussex and the splash Americana are growing and developing more quickly. I've only had them four full days, but I'm already noticing a difference in their growth. Should I be worried? Do you barn elders develop slower or is this a problem for the splash variety? I've read some accounts that males will feather slower than females in heavier breeds. Is this the case? Was the box just full of males?

The light one with the brown saddle is the splash barnvelder.

this is a close-up of him/her

Speckled Sussex

Splash Americana

I bought them straight run, so I'm not sure of the sex of these three. I was always supposed to get two, but about the third just in case I chose roosters, I might have a better chance of having at least one hen.

 

[Wyandottes7]

I would not be worried at this age. While slow feathering can be a sign that a chicken is a cockerel, it is definitely not 100% accurate. Different breeds do mature at different rates. My Wyandottes tend to be rather slow, for example, but Rhode Island Reds feather in faster.

 

[familyfarm1]

I would not be worried at this age. While slow feathering can be a sign that a chicken is a cockerel, it is definitely not 100% accurate. Different breeds do mature at different rates. My Wyandottes tend to be rather slow, for example, but Rhode Island Reds feather in faster.

x2

 

[BantamLover21]

I would not be worried at this age. While slow feathering can be a sign that a chicken is a cockerel, it is definitely not 100% accurate. Different breeds do mature at different rates. My Wyandottes tend to be rather slow, for example, but Rhode Island Reds feather in faster.

Agreed.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Totally agree with the others. I too have seen in my flock that specialty type breeds do tend to feather more slowly and simply develop more slowly than more common, commercial type breeds.
LofMc