What kind of chicks are these?

[CCLwhite]

I'm desperately trying to figure out what kind of chicks I have. I believe 4 of them are one breed and the other 2 are a different breeds as their wings colors are completely different. I bought them at TSC and they said Leghorns, but I believe they were wrong.

 

[CCLwhite]

Here is a better photo of them in natural light

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I agree...not looking like Leghorns...white Leghorns would be solid yellow chick down coming in with white feathers. Brown Leghorns would have been chipmunk chicks with a dark dorsal stripe coming in brown.

You've got red feathering on no dorsal stripe....I'm thinking you've probably have Production Reds.

As they are neither chick down nor adult feathers, but this awkward phase, it is hard to tell what they may be.

You will likely need to wait until the feathers fill in to see what pattern (or lack thereof) you've got to determine breed.

It is possible, but highly unlikely, that you got another Leghorn color than the traditional brown or white. There are a number of Leghorn colors, and one of them is red, but that is rare to find at a feed store.

I'll link the Feathersite Leghorn page so you can see the multitude of Leghorn colors, but in my neck of the woods, we only get the traditional brown or white at the feed stores. You have to go to a breeder to get additional colors.
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGK/Leghorns/BRKLeghorns.html

LofMc

 

[CCLwhite]

I agree...not looking like Leghorns...white Leghorns would be solid yellow chick down coming in with white feathers. Brown Leghorns would have been chipmunk chicks with a dark dorsal stripe coming in brown.

You've got red feathering on no dorsal stripe....I'm thinking you've probably have Production Reds.

As they are neither chick down nor adult feathers, but this awkward phase, it is hard to tell what they may be.

You will likely need to wait until the feathers fill in to see what pattern (or lack thereof) you've got to determine breed.

It is possible, but highly unlikely, that you got another Leghorn color than the traditional brown or white. There are a number of Leghorn colors, and one of them is red, but that is rare to find at a feed store.

I'll link the Feathersite Leghorn page so you can see the multitude of Leghorn colors, but in my neck of the woods, we only get the traditional brown or white at the feed stores. You have to go to a breeder to get additional colors.
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGK/Leghorns/BRKLeghorns.html

LofMc

Thank you for your help! I was thinking they might be production reds. I'm new to having chickens and I believe they're a little over 2 weeks old now. What would be a good age to get better pictures?

 

[CCLwhite]

Thank you for your help! I'm new to having chickens and I believe they're a little over 2 weeks old now. How old should they be before I can truly determine their breed?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Thank you for your help! I'm new to having chickens and I believe they're a little over 2 weeks old now. How old should they be before I can truly determine their breed?

You should have a good idea by 6 to 8 weeks. That is generally when most of the adult color type feathers come in (but not all).

By 12 to 16 weeks, they are teens, and other than size, have most of their feathers and looks...other than the roosters who continue to grow their manly feathers until almost 6 months of age.

But you don't look to have any roo's at this point. If you have a roo, it will get a large red comb that will stand out compared to the others.

Enjoy your little brood

LofMc

 

[Lady of McCamley]

On closer inspection...they may even be Gold or Red Sexlinks.

If they come in red/orange with white trim at the wings and tail, and often white lacing around the neck...they will be Gold or Red Sexlinks.

I am thinking Gold as the chick down was so light colored. The difference between the Gold vs. the Red is often Buff colored parent is used for one of the parents (roo)...the other is the silver based female (often a Delaware). When it is a Red Sexlink, the roo is a red based bird like a RIR or NH.

The difference is whether you get a more orange-gold outcome or a darker orange-red outcome...both with white trim.

Sexlinks are color coded by chick down...girls being red-gold and boys pale yellow.

As I am seeing some white spotting, it is possible...but there are also some dark red colors that may mean more Production Red.

You should know by 6 to 8 weeks whether you have the solid red, with some black trim, of the Production Red, or the Red/Gold with white trim Sexlink.

If you see any striping, mottling, or partridging, then you've got something else.

LofMc

 

[seeingeyepuppy]

I raise red sexlinks for 4-h and they definitely look like red sexlinks

 

[CCLwhite]

Thank you both!

 

[junebuggena]

I raise red sexlinks for 4-h and they definitely look like red sexlinks

x2 Those are red sexlink pullets.