What breed are these fluff balls?

[Addicted To Chickens]

I think they could be Buff Orpington?

 

[sybonbon]

At least some of the chicks are growing white feathers in their wings.
Reddish chick down and white wing feathers usually means Red Sexlinks (sold under many different names, as you can see in previous responses.)

But they are not Rhode Island Reds, because Rhode Island Reds grow black wing feathers. For the same reason, they are not New Hampshires or Production Reds. Any red breed with a black tail will have black feathers in the wings as well, not white ones like those chicks.

Could they be ISA Brown?

 

[Franklinridgefarms]

I believe they are red sexlinks aka ISA Brown, Red Star, Golden Comet, etc.

 

[sybonbon]

I believe they are red sexlinks aka ISA Brown, Red Star, Golden Comet, etc.

Then all pullets because males are white.

 

[NatJ]

Could they be ISA Brown?

Yes, that is one kind of red sexlink with the same coloring as your chicks have.

Then all pullets because males are white.

Yes, I agree.

The only way they could be males: if they are some other breed or cross. I do not know of any commonly available breed where males have that color.

That coloration is female-specific when the parents are crossed in a certain way, but could be any gender in some other cases. For example, White Laced Red Cornish or Buff Laced Polish would have both genders showing gold/red down and white wing feathers. (Yours are not Cornish or Polish. Those are just examples of breeds that could show that color in male chicks too.)

 

[sybonbon]

Yes, that is one kind of red sexlink with the same coloring as your chicks have.


Yes, I agree.

The only way they could be males: if they are some other breed or cross. I do not know of any commonly available breed where males have that color.

That coloration is female-specific when the parents are crossed in a certain way, but could be any gender in some other cases. For example, White Laced Red Cornish or Buff Laced Polish would have both genders showing gold/red down and white wing feathers. (Yours are not Cornish or Polish. Those are just examples of breeds that could show that color in male chicks too.)

Thank you. You are always very helpful.

 

[sybonbon]

A few of them like my phone and run up to it. Lol

 

[sybonbon]

At least some of the chicks are growing white feathers in their wings.
Reddish chick down and white wing feathers usually means Red Sexlinks (sold under many different names, as you can see in previous responses.)

But they are not Rhode Island Reds, because Rhode Island Reds grow black wing feathers. For the same reason, they are not New Hampshires or Production Reds. Any red breed with a black tail will have black feathers in the wings as well, not white ones like those chicks.

I've been thinking about what you said about wing color. I got 2 red sexlinks 7 years ago. I will post photos. Their wings are not white. I was told they were from ideal poultry using RIR rooster over Delaware hen. Is this a sexlink or a RIR that I've had for 7 years?

 

[NatJ]

I've been thinking about what you said about wing color. I got 2 red sexlinks 7 years ago. I will post photos. Their wings are not white. I was told they were from ideal poultry using RIR rooster over Delaware hen. Is this a sexlink or a RIR that I've had for 7 years?

Red Sexinks means the hens are mostly red, and the males are mostly white.
There are quite a few father/mother combinations that can produce them.
Depending on which parents are used, they can have white or black wing feathers (and later, tail feathers to match their wing feathers.)

As you noticed, the RIR x Delaware cross produces chicks with black wing feathers, that lok very much like Rhode Island Reds. As chicks or adults, I doubt anyone could tell for sure whether the females are actually RIR or Sexlinks. (It would be obvious they are not show-quality Rhode Island Reds, but not obvious whether they are hatchery-quality ones.)

The ones with white wing feathers are easier to identify, just because there are no other very common breeds that start out red and grow white wing feathers. (There are some less-common breeds with that trait, but since they are less common, we don't see them as often.)

The difference is caused by the Dominant White gene, that turns black to white. Many of the mother breeds used to produce Red Sexlinks have that gene, which is why many of the Red Sexlinks have white wing feathers instead of black. It really has nothing to do with the sex linkage, just a coincidence of what other genes were present in the breeds that were chosen.

 

[sybonbon]

Red Sexinks means the hens are mostly red, and the males are mostly white.
There are quite a few father/mother combinations that can produce them.
Depending on which parents are used, they can have white or black wing feathers (and later, tail feathers to match their wing feathers.)

As you noticed, the RIR x Delaware cross produces chicks with black wing feathers, that lok very much like Rhode Island Reds. As chicks or adults, I doubt anyone could tell for sure whether the females are actually RIR or Sexlinks. (It would be obvious they are not show-quality Rhode Island Reds, but not obvious whether they are hatchery-quality ones.)

The ones with white wing feathers are easier to identify, just because there are no other very common breeds that start out red and grow white wing feathers. (There are some less-common breeds with that trait, but since they are less common, we don't see them as often.)

The difference is caused by the Dominant White gene, that turns black to white. Many of the mother breeds used to produce Red Sexlinks have that gene, which is why many of the Red Sexlinks have white wing feathers instead of black. It really has nothing to do with the sex linkage, just a coincidence of what other genes were present in the breeds that were chosen.

Thank you once again!