Breed / Gender ID - 1st graders hatched them!

[5Gr8tKids]

No the fast feathering does't signal gender. Another week or so you'll know for sure.

Thank you! It's been fun trying to sort out what they are. I love them all! We also have 6 feed store "pullets" that are a week older... 3 RIR and 3 ISA brown. I could keep 8 pullets and 4 Roos? Right? :/

 

[Gray Farms]

Depends on the size of the coop. If there enough space for the roosters to stay away from each other they should be ok. And roosters that grow up together and are never separated rarely will fight. However they all will breed. So you hens may get tore up will four roosters breeding them all the time. By tore up I mean bare backs and heads. Because when one rooster breeds a hen the others will usually take their turn before she can get up. If you coop allows I would consider getting another 3 or 4 pullets if you intend to keep all four boys. So that each has a few girls of their own.

 

[BaileyMChicks]

Thanks! We have no idea what breed they are, the school just ordered an egg assortment. I thought Dotty and Stripey were the same breed (and appear to be a roo Dotty and hopefully a hen stripey) but now I'm not sure because their combs don't look to be the same type!?

Sunny does have a wide comb, and I'm thinking boy. Slow to feather and was the original 'bully' of the bunch.

Any thoughts on breeds? I'll add some hatchling pictures if that helps.

Dotty and Stripy look like silver laced wyandottes, Harry Potter looks like it could be a black cochin bantam, Blondie looks like a buff orpington, and I'm not sure about the other two.


Edit-Sorry I answered what I thought without looking at the other posts. I probably got some breeds wrong, plus this was already answered many times. Sorry again

 

[5Gr8tKids]

Updated pictures!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Looks like you have lots of roosters.

 

[5Gr8tKids]

Looks like you have lots of roosters.

Its my first time keeping chickens, but I'm suspect of at least 3 if not 4. Guess I'll just have to get more hens

Which ones do you suspect of being hes instead of shes?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I think Harry potter and Stripey are your only hens.

 

[henny1129]

I recently learned a way of sexing chickens and it is really cool and reliable. It also doesn't hurt the chickens. Take each of the chickens and look at their vents. You might have to gently touch the vent and pull it down a little bit. If the chick is a cockerel it will have what looks like a very small pimple in the vent, it might be very hard to see. If it is a pullet it will not have a pimple. On chickens the pimple is very small. If it is there it is for sure a cockerel. Good luck and tell me how this works! Your chicks are very cute too!
Good luck,
henny1129

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I think it's better to wait until you see pink combs, vent sexing can damage them if you aren't careful.

 

[5Gr8tKids]

I think Harry potter and Stripey are your only hens.

I think you may be right! I had someone suggest that Blondie may be a "she" so I'm hopeful Thankfully, I have 6 "pullets" that appear to all be girls. I'm still not sure about 4 roosters, but at least I'm in the country and can keep them if they get a long and I want to.

I recently learned a way of sexing chickens and it is really cool and reliable. It also doesn't hurt the chickens. Take each of the chickens and look at their vents. You might have to gently touch the vent and pull it down a little bit. If the chick is a cockerel it will have what looks like a very small pimple in the vent, it might be very hard to see. If it is a pullet it will not have a pimple. On chickens the pimple is very small. If it is there it is for sure a cockerel. Good luck and tell me how this works!

Your chicks are very cute too!
Good luck,
henny1129

Thanks for the tip, I've seen videos of them doing vent sexing at the hatchery. I am going to wait and see how it turns out. It's fun watching them grow. I'm amazed at how much they have changed in just a month!