Barred rocks are confusing me......

[Dwells]

So I purchased two barred rock chicks (around a week old when I got them) Now that they are laying age I am thinking I have a roo in the bunch. They are together with an Amerucuana who is defiantly not a roo and a speckled Sussex who is also not a roo. So it comes down to the two BR. They both have red coms and waddles although one is larger than the other. One that is darker is developing green in the feathers and the lighter one is not. Also I had separated them and both (I am told have laid eggs) not too sure because I hadn't seen it myself. So begins the quandary. I have been 50 percent in my chick purchases and as much as I would like to believe I have all hens there are signs a roo is in the mix. I can not have roos where I am and don't want to wait till he crows even though it seems like I have too. So the one that has the most roo characteristics has laid and the one that laid had green feathers and spur development. I will post a pick as soon as I can but does anyone have any information here???? The coloring difference is not too different. The darker one which is suppose to be hen has the green in the feathers and the lighter on is only slightly lighter which is suppose to be a sign of a male.

 

[Fred's Hens]

At the age of a pullet just beginning to lay eggs, a female looks like this:



At the same age, a cockerel would look like this:




The difference in the appearance of a pullet and cockerel is really quite different.

 

[Dwells]

Thank you for the comparison photos. The funny thing here is both have the large red comb and waddle, they have been laying for about a month. That is what is so confusing to me. What age is the cockerel in the pic. Neither of mine have the sweeping feathers yet but both have turning tail feathers.

 

[Fred's Hens]

The birds I showed above are "heritage", Standard bred, true bred Barred Rocks.



Do your females look more like this?



The difference is that these pullets are hatchery stock. Hatchery stock females have much larger combs and wattles.

But larger combs and wattles don't make them cockerels. Cockerels have long, curved tail feathers that females do not have. Cockerels also have saddle feathers, those saddle bag looking streaming feathers in front of their tails on both sides.

Finally, a male simply is so much taller than a female.

 

[keesmom]

If you haven't heard any crowing yet I think both are pullets. A cockerel will generally start crowing long before pullets lay their first egg. Can you post pictures of both?

 

[donrae]

You really need to post pics.

At "laying age" a barred Rock cockerel is quite different from a pullet. Taller, heavier, still gangly and leggy looking while a pullet is rounded, feminine and more finished looking. Pullets are darker overall, roosters are lighter colored. Roosters have sex feathers--long, pointy feathers from the neck and in front of the tail. They also have sickle feathers--they typical rooster tail.

 

[ChristieB]

You keep saying they are laying, if they are laying then it's not a rooster , roosters don't lay eggs.... Most roosters would have crowed by laying age and you would have noticed hackle and saddle feathers