5 Week Old Barred Rock - Pullet or Cockerel?

[donrae]

I'd so love to have this problem, having birds of such high quality! I drool over the Barred Rock thread, they're soo pretty, those roosters with those long feathers.



Someday................

 

[speckledhen]

It really was strange, with my first batch of true heritage Barred Rocks, trying to sex them the regular way I did my hatchery and few-generations-removed-from hatchery stock for years. The head spot thing didn't really work well. Some pullets seemed lighter than I was used to, some cockerels were darker-appearing than I was used to. In the end, with my Stukel line Rocks, the leg color was the best indicator at one point.

You may have a lighter than normal pullet or a cockerel with more dark on his legs than usual, but hard to really say. Below is what we're used to seeing in pullets, colorwise, of course-this is my almost 12 week old Dru, out of Stukel lines. Her legs were stocky for awhile, very unlady-like.



Years ago, I had a very light-colored pullet that everyone, even the BYC experts, said was a cockerel, but she became the mother of many chicks and died a few months ago at the age of 5. She had everyone fooled with her huge head spot, light coloring and lighter legs- she was a hatchery hen. Sexing is not 100% foolproof with the BRs and even harder with heritage stock.

 

[aoxa]

It really was strange, with my first batch of true heritage Barred Rocks, trying to sex them the regular way I did my hatchery and few-generations-removed-from hatchery stock for years. The head spot thing didn't really work well. Some pullets seemed lighter than I was used to, some cockerels were darker-appearing than I was used to. In the end, with my Stukel line Rocks, the leg color was the best indicator at one point. You may have a lighter than normal pullet or a cockerel with more dark on his legs than usual, but hard to really say. Below is what we're used to seeing in pullets, colorwise, of course-this is my almost 12 week old Dru, out of Stukel lines. Her legs were stocky for awhile, very unlady-like. Years ago, I had a very light-colored pullet that everyone, even the BYC experts, said was a cockerel, but she became the mother of many chicks and died a few months ago at the age of 5. She had everyone fooled with her huge head spot, light coloring and lighter legs- she was a hatchery hen. Sexing is not 100% foolproof with the BRs and even harder with heritage stock.

Thank you for the info Speckledhen! Appreciate it. I keep going back and forth.. The comb is pink.. It scares me.. I just don't want to keep two barred rock cocks, so I would have to get rid of him (who is so much nicer than my full grown boy) but I've grown attached.. and my older boy is very good in temperament. Unfortunately he has too high of a tail, and he is not from the long feathering line as these chicks are.. But would I really want to keep a male from the same parents as the females I want to breed him to? We do not have the long feathering line here in New Brunswick. I had to drive 4 hours to get them.

7 weeks old

The one here is an obvious boy. Very light barring - no dark wash (or little) - and big red comb/wattles

You can see my roo's colouring here - boy right beside him and the one in question in the back. She/he is darker than the obvious boys.. A comb this red at 7 weeks - is that a for sure cockerel?

 

[aoxa]

This one here - I thought was a boy for sure

It has very little of a comb, but seems to be lighter in colouring. It was not this hard with regular barred rocks lol

I have two that I'm certain are girls:

Both look the same.

 

[aoxa]

Here is the father.


Some of the hens

 

[emcgrath27]

Pullet!

 

[FuryanGoddess]

I LOVE BR... Jealous!

 

[speckledhen]

You may just have to wait it out awhile, I'm afraid. That one it a bit confusing, for sure. I'd start parting the back feathers soon to look for those first-appearing skinny, pointy saddle feathers coming in. If you see them, the deal is sealed. If they come in rounded, you have your pullet, just a lighter than normal one.

 

[texas75563]

Have you come to any conclusions aoxa? Or are you still in standby scratch your head waiting mode? Curious minds want to know!

 

[simplysophie]

Harley is adorable!!!! I'm going to say the unknown is a pullet.