what to look for in a baby cockerel help needed

Hello i was just wondering what the signs was that you look for in a baby cockerel, my chicks are about 3 or 4 weeks now and I was told you can start to tell from about 4 weeks, any advice would be a big help as i haven't had chicks before, 1 of my chicks is a bit bigger then the other 2 so I was thinking if that could be a sign as they was a ll a similar size when i got them.

they are bigger then the poults and may start to grow a comb.

Their tails grow in slower...at least my BA did, can you post some pics?

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I am not sure how you put photos on

if you look at the top blue bar, it has a link to uploads, click it and it will walk you through it-

I spy what may be a baby roo - the one in the front. Another two weeks or so and it should be easy to tell.

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that is the one i was thinking too, why do you think it is and what is it you look for ??

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His stance is a little different from the others. His comb is slightly larger and pinker (from what I can see in the pics). He has thicker legs and he's not feathering out the same; he's still pretty bare across the wing bows. The wing bows are the rounded part of his wings i.e., his shoulders.
ETA: For future reference:

According to UC Davis Veterinary Care Program.
2. Physical Characteristics (4-6 weeks of age)
a. Comb – The cockerels comb is medium size and pinkish, the pullets is small and yellowish.
b. Legs – The cockerel’s legs are sturdy and long, the pullets are finer and shorter.
c. Tail – The cockerel’s tail is stumpy and curved, the pullets is longer and straight.
d. Back – The cockerel has a thin line of stub feathers down the center of his back, the pullet has more advanced feathering along the center of her back.
e. Side of neck, flank and crop – The feathering in the cockerel in these areas is poorly advanced, the pullets feathering in these areas is well advanced.
f. Wing bows – In the cockerel the wing bows are bare, in pullets the wing bows are covered with small feathers.

It's easier to do when you have both sexes - - the females' combs will appear a more faded, yellowish color, and they will be smaller. They will often have much smaller (or nonexistent) wattles as well.

Boys will get pinkish to reddish combs sooner, and their wattles will appear as red tabs on either side of the chin.


You can also look for "mannerisms" - - cockerels will often stand more upright and tall, and they may spar with each other . . . or even crow, as early as a few weeks of age!


Hope that helps. Good luck, and enjoy your chicks!

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His stance is a little different from the others. His comb is slightly larger and pinker (from what I can see in the pics). He has thicker legs and he's not feathering out the same; he's still pretty bare across the wing bows. The wing bows are the rounded part of his wings i.e., his shoulders.
ETA: For future reference:

According to UC Davis Veterinary Care Program.
2. Physical Characteristics (4-6 weeks of age)
a. Comb – The cockerels comb is medium size and pinkish, the pullets is small and yellowish.
b. Legs – The cockerel’s legs are sturdy and long, the pullets are finer and shorter.
c. Tail – The cockerel’s tail is stumpy and curved, the pullets is longer and straight.
d. Back – The cockerel has a thin line of stub feathers down the center of his back, the pullet has more advanced feathering along the center of her back.
e. Side of neck, flank and crop – The feathering in the cockerel in these areas is poorly advanced, the pullets feathering in these areas is well advanced.
f. Wing bows – In the cockerel the wing bows are bare, in pullets the wing bows are covered with small feathers.

thanks very much this will be a big help, and it does seem like i have got myself a cockerel, do you know what age they start to crow??