What breed am I?

[dearduckyducky]

We just recieved two hens and two roosters from a friend. He was sold all of them in July 2011 as Road Island Red chicks. The larger roo is (evidently not

) definately a Road Island Red roo. He is beautiful.

The two hens are obviously Road Island Red hens.

However, this little guy was also in with them.

His feathers tell me he is a roo (pointy neck feathers and starting to get the long skinny saddle feathers, and long decorative tail feathers). However, he is smaller than the hens. I'm thinking some sort of banty cross? Also, this bird has feathers almost like a silky on his underside and mixed in with the rest of his feathers. He is the softest bird I've ever touched that wasn't a silky!
Any ideas?

ETA, sorry bad pic quality. I took them with my iPod.
ETA, correcting my "definately" comment

 

[torrelee]

I dunno what he is but he is adorably shaggy!

 

[dearduckyducky]

Quote:
Isn't he though!

It will be interesting to see what he looks like in a couple of months.

 

[RhodeRunner]

They are cute, and look like great pets! However, none of them appear pure when it comes to breed. A hatchery may consider them pure, but ultimately they are poor representations of their breed. The top is not a Rhode Island Red, but perhaps a Production Red of sorts. The bottom boy may be a Buff Orpington (white legs), or Buff Plymouth Rock (yellow legs).

 

[SilkieBantams]

He could be a Frizzle cross or Silkie cross

 

[Jamie_Dog_Trainer]

I don't usually comment on these threads but he looks very, very similar to my Freedom Ranger Rooster from JM Hatchery. A pic of him:

 

[dearduckyducky]

No worries on if they are "pure".

Our chickens are all pets.

He does look like the Freedom Ranger! Going to have to look into that breed!

I was thinking perhaps the smaller one would be a silky or frizzle cross. At first I thought banty because he is so much smaller. After more thought though, he seems to large to be a banty cross. I have no experience with banties, silkies, or frizzles. I've seen and touched them at other's coops, but have never really handled them.

 

[banjoejoe4783]

sorry but those are not RIR they look more like new hamps but i would say hatchery birds here are pics of good SQ new hamps
this is my roo

and here is one of my hens

and this is how they did at the fair