# Are My Chickens Rhode Island Reds?



## Ksparad (May 7, 2016)

So a few weeks ago I bought chicks from Tractor Suply. I was told that they might be Red Rangers. However the girl helping us was young and didn't seem to know too much about chickens. Now that they are getting older they are starting to look more like RI Reds since they are very dark in color. They also have a white line going down their chest. The Red Rangers are an a lot lighter red and don't have a white line going down their chest like ours do. What do you guys think?


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## Ksparad (May 7, 2016)

Here's more photos


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## Ksparad (May 7, 2016)

Here is another one comparing them from a week ago to when we first got them


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

They look like RIRs ,


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## Ksparad (May 7, 2016)

That's what we're thinking. The lady wasn't really sure what they were plus who knows what happens at that place


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## WeeLittleChicken (Aug 31, 2012)

Could be either. Hatchery stock RIR's are... diverse in aesthetics and Freedom Rangers might have RIR somewhere in their lines (would have to look that up.) I think rather than just looking at them a better idea would be to see how big they're growing and how fast. If you want to keep them, rather than eat them, you can keep Freedom Rangers, unlike the Cornish Crosses.... but they will eat you out of house and home! I know someone with a 13 pound hen. She says she eats for four.


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## Ksparad (May 7, 2016)

I would say they're growing average. We also have a few bantam silkies that are the same age as them and they are about the same size. In fact one of the silkies is bigger than all of them so he may be a rooster.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Can't depend on size in Silkies to determine sex. Some of my males were smaller than my females. And some Silkies take a while to hit a growth spurt.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

They are very cute!


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## ChickenCrazy01 (May 8, 2016)

Are Red Rangers also called Red Crosses? Not sure, but they look like RIRs to me too.


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

ChickenCrazy01 said:


> Are Red Rangers also called Red Crosses? Not sure, but they look like RIRs to me too.


Townline sells a red cross that is a RIR X Columbian sex link egg layer.


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## Ksparad (May 7, 2016)

I think they are called red crosses as well. But my chicks are a lot darker than the crosses


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