Which of My Langshan Chicks is More Correct?

[3KillerBs]

My chicks from Ideal are now 5 weeks and 2 days and one of the three looks quite different than the other two. Of course I know that hatchery birds aren't breeder birds and I'm not really interested in breeding purebreds anyway, but I'd like to know which are more like a correct Langshan.

Purple and Green (leg bands), are still half-naked and have pale beaks with just a bit of black.

Blue is well-feathered, a little smaller, and has a solid black beak.

All are tall and leggy compared to the Dominiques, French Cuckoo Marans, and Silver-Laced Cochins from the same order, but blue is less so than the others.

I don't know enough about Langshans to know what to expect from them.

 

[FeatherTay]

@Amer

 

[Amer]

They’re too young to tell at this point.

 

[3KillerBs]

They’re too young to tell at this point.

Fast vs slow feathering and pale vs dark beaks aren't part of the standard?

 

[Amer]

Fast vs slow feathering and pale vs dark beaks aren't part of the standard?

Oh, you’re asking about those particular traits? Well, with feathering, many people select for faster feathering, faster maturing birds, but it’s not going to effect how the final result looks. And considering that it’s feathering and not size, the slow feathering birds could easily catch up.
Larger birds are better when it comes to hatchery stock since they’re all undersized, but again, they could catch up. I believe Langshans should have “dark horn” beaks, white with black, and all your birds have beaks within the acceptable range, but I’ll look that up when I get home.
The Standard is picky, but it’s not that picky.
Now there are some traits you can look for.
Some of your birds have more heavily feathered legs, which is good.
I’m really not sure whether tall and leggy is a good thing or not, because I don’t raise Langshans, nor do I know how they develop.
I’m afraid I’m not really qualified for that question.
In general though, Blue will probably be worse because of size and leg feathering.

 

[Amer]

I asked my Langshan breeder friend Nate Rynish and this was his response.
“I'd say the pullets are generally fast feathering. Not slow feathering like rocks, usually ready for a show in 6 months. The cockerels take longer to finish though partly due to their tails with having long sickle feathers. Sometimes a good 2 months longer.

I can start culling around 3 to 4 months old. At that point you can have a general idea of structure, especially in pullets. At that age I can cull for leg length or squirrel tailed birds, eye color and skulls”
“The only things I cull for at 5 weeks old are combs, toes, and any other obvious issues like a wry tail, crooked beak, health, etc”

 

[3KillerBs]

Thank you. I was wondering because the birds look so very different.