Rhode Island Reds

[yogi]

I recently got 25 R.I. Red pullets from a hatchery. They are all very lively, but they are two different colors. Some are a sandy red but some are a dark almost brown color. The dark ones also have a dark tip on their beak. Is this normal.

 

[Bullitt]

Which hatchery did you purchase from? You might look at the hatchery website pictures, if they have them, and see if their chicks look the same as your chicks.

Sometimes hatcheries make mistakes. It is possible that you got Rhode Island Reds and maybe production reds or something mixed in. Are you sure they didn't give you some extra chicks?

 

[Chris09]

I recently got 25 R.I. Red pullets from a hatchery. They are all very lively, but they are two different colors. Some are a sandy red but some are a dark almost brown color. The dark ones also have a dark tip on their beak. Is this normal.

From a hatchery yes.
Hatchery birds are bred for quantity and not quality. Also a good percentage of "Rhode Island Reds" that hatcheries sell are production reds and they come in all shades of "red".


Chris

 

[yogi]

Got from MT. Healthy hatchery. At a little over 2 weeks they are looking like roosters. These were replacements for chicks bought at TSC which were to be red but ended up red/white. I'm about to give up. Can't get the right birds and if you order hatching eggs, they won't hatch after the USPS gets thru with them. P.S. these were all to be pullets.

 

[Chris09]

Got from MT. Healthy hatchery. At a little over 2 weeks they are looking like roosters. These were replacements for chicks bought at TSC which were to be red but ended up red/white. I'm about to give up. Can't get the right birds and if you order hatching eggs, they won't hatch after the USPS gets thru with them. P.S. these were all to be pullets.

If you are wanting Reds and just want them to lay eggs and maybe show them at a small show you could try Shady Lane Poultry.
http://hcfarm.com/exhbreeds.html

Chris