Poultry Talk Ontario (pto.ca)

Let me try a short & skinny version of what is actually in my head.

Last May I got a dozen, 2 week old dual purpose slow growth and a half dozen 5 week old barred rocks from Freys hatchery. In September I also got 6 RTL barred rocks from Freys.

It could be all in my head, but there is CLEARLY, to me, a difference in the birds. Although they are the same size etc., I can instantly tell who my 6 later arrivals are. The later 6: Their tail feathers aren't together nicely, their legs are white or creamy coloured and one even has curly toes. They look a lot different than the ones I raised from youngsters. Even their feathers don't see to have the same depth to their colouring. Some have had their beaks grow back, but a few haven't and I think because they were cut so short. (I'll never order RTL's again. Pulls at my heart each time I look at them ) in general they look rough, not as well taken care of as my other girls. But they're all taken care of the same. I call them the ghetto gang which much love as I say it :)

My other rocks that i recieved as 5 week olds, have wonderful tail feathers and what I think is better 'Barred Rock' colouring, more of them have yellowish legs, nicer combs and none have curly fries for toes.

The 6 that arrived as RTL's are also more skittish and although still very friendly, but not willing to eat out of your hand like my other girls.

Is it all in my head or can the feed provided and environment have a physical influence on them as they grow?

Yes the care will influence them but in a few weeks they will start to look nicer. Our first chickens were 10 RTLs from Freys and became very friendly fast. Only one beak didn't grow back fully but she managed OK. My BRs didn't live beyond 18 months because of prolapsing issues. They laid a huge egg. I prefer smaller eggs, less hard on them. Only one didn't work out a red layer who was a nasty little whotsit to the other girls. Nearly , my Black sex link was one of this group and would have turned 5 last month if the dog hadn't got her. SHe was just gearing up laying again! I also got my first broody from this group.
Take home message - work with them and you'll be rewarded!

Oh boy. Hope my girls go beyond 18 months. When you say they'll start to look better soon, is because of moult?

Prolapsed? I'll have to google that.

Not moult, they'll just start to look generally healthier for being in more space, sunlight and better food. I hope others can chip in with their experiences.

Well, they're loved and well take care of while they are in my backyard. Hopefully that will reflect in their appearance eventually.

yes. the diet a bird consumes while growing will permanently effect its adult appearance forever but it wont hurt its genetics.

for instance with the James Marie Farms Jumbo coturnix quail the only way for them to truly reach there jumbo size is to feed them 30% protien from day one through 7 on powdered starter, then you can feed them regular size starter. lots of heat and always fresh water. do this until they mature which for a cot is around 7 weeks. given extra heat a bit longer than one would think they need it, I provide heat and 24 hours of light also until they mature but I do drop the wattage of bulb down ever 2 weeks or so depending on the ambient tempurature. doing this will achieve a quail that is one pound or more.

these same birds raised under normal conditions will never reach a pound but will produce birds with that potential.

Im sure the same applies to all birds while they are growing. I used to get my chickens n turkey off of starter and on to grower/hard grains asap. I will not be doing that any longer and am expecting my birds to fill out a lot more and not look so how do I put it? stringy? I dont know... I get back to you later Lol.

Im sure this is why your seeing such a difference in the hatchery raised rtl compared to the ones you raised on a much better diet. when they should be the same birds with the same genetics, assuming of course that both groups of birds came from the same breeding flock.

Thanks Al. Appreciate the input and details.

NP Sandy, well its a theory anyways. but its very true with the quail. James Marie Farms is not just a farm but also a research facility, and he has proven this. Im only assuming it would hold true for other poultry.

Makes absolute sense to me.