What are we? :) Lots of pictures of cute bebes!

[erinnoie]

Pic heavy, I apologize in advance! They're just so cute, I keep snapping! We picked up 8 chicks on July 2nd, were told they were 1 week old. Was told that we picked out 4 Ameraucana (one white/pale yellow, 3 spotty colored)**eta: these four are EE**, 2 RIR (lighter red/white wings), 1 barred rock (dot on head) and one red laced Orpington (brown face) I brought these 3 home to raise for a few weeks with my kids. Size differences Chick 1 - EnderChick CL seller said it's a barred rock. Chick 2 - Barney (because chickens can live in barns, says my daughter!) Biggest of my 3. Seller said Ameraucana. **eta probably an easter egger** Chick 3 - Fancy Pants Seller said Ameraucana. **eta probably an easter egger** Our older 2 chickens, 8 weeks old now. 7.5 weeks old in this photo, having a mealworm treat: 5 weeks in this photo: Bought these 2 as day old chicks from a farmer's market/fair. Are these Red Star? That is what the seller said. Is the one with the redder comb/wattle a roo? The one with the more prominent comb is quite protective of his birdie friends, while the other is shy. Both are friendly. **eta not red star but barnyard mix** Do these look to be the correctly named breeds? Any boy/girl features? Thanks for any input! I'm new to raising chickens, but doing lots of research and learning a ton. My kids, family and myself are all excited to watch them grow, and eventually enjoy their eggs!

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

The ones sold to you as ameraucanas are Easter Eggers. A lot of people sell EEs as ameraucanas and araucanas.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Our older 2 chickens, 8 weeks old now.
7.5 weeks old in this photo, having a mealworm treat:

5 weeks in this photo:


Bought these 2 as day old chicks from a farmer's market/fair. Are these Red Star? That is what the seller said. Is the one with the redder comb/wattle a roo? The one with the more prominent
comb is quite protective of his birdie friends, while the other is shy. Both are friendly.

Do these look to be the correctly named breeds? Any boy/girl features?

Thanks for any input! I'm new to raising chickens, but doing lots of research and learning a ton. My kids, family and myself are all excited to watch them grow, and eventually enjoy their eggs!

With Red Stars (and other RSL), only the females are red. The roosters are white. Red stars can be sexed at hatch by their color.

However, in the top photo, the bird on the right is a. not a Red Star and b. 100% Male. Look at those huge feet/legs and that red comb! ESPECIALLY at five weeks.

He might be a Red Star X Red Star cross, but Red Stars are actually a cross between a red rooster and a silver factor hen, such as a Rhode Island Red rooster over a White Rock hen. Then the females are red at hatch and the males are cream colored. MMM has a cute video of Red Star chicks here: http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/red_star.html

Red Star X Red Star will not actually make a Red Star, since Red Star is not a breed, it is an autosexing hybrid.

The upshot is, I think your two birds are a male and female pair, and they are not Red Stars but are a barnyard mix of some sort that might be based on a Red Star.

 

[erinnoie]

Thanks for the info!! Any idea if our black chick is indeed a barred rock? I hope so, they are pretty birds! Hope we have mostly females too lol.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Thanks for the info!! Any idea if our black chick is indeed a barred rock? I hope so, they are pretty birds! Hope we have mostly females too lol.

Barred Rocks do look like that as babies, yes. When it starts to grow real feathers, watch the color. Males appear much lighter in color than females, which will look mostly black with some white speckles at first.