Gender and breed? Confused here

[lilbeastpdx]

Hi all!

So I thought this was a rooster copper marans because of the comb development at four weeks. The feed store bin said it was a sexed marans bin, but...

Well, this chick is 7 weeks old now and the comb hasn't changed colors at all. Nor has it grown wattles. Thick legs for sure it does have.

Any ideas on the gender and breed? Is it copper marans?

 

[QueenMisha]

Looks like a pullet to me. As for breed, there's nothing to suggest it isn't a Copper Marans. They tend to grow out the copper in the hackles at an older age, around 12 weeks, although some do not show very much copper at all, and a few may even be completely black. And although most hatcheries sell the French variety (with feathered feet), some sell the American clean-legged variety, which is what this one would be.

If it's not a Maran, it's most likely some kind of pure black bird, such as a Jersey Giant or Australorp.

 

[Anndan]

Kinda looks like a Jersey Giant to me. Mine had little white splotches while growing out. I'd say pullet as well. =)

 

[lilbeastpdx]

Kinda looks like a Jersey Giant to me. Mine had little white splotches while growing out. I'd say pullet as well. =)

Wow. I wasn't expecting this. I thought for sure it was a boy because of the comb. I hope she is a marans after all but we will see. It's such a sweetie!

The size of the comb or the lack of neck feathers doesn't say roo? That's what I was thinking because I've read that Roos feather out later than hens.

 

[QueenMisha]

The comb is on the larger side of normal size for a pullet of this age. That's not to say it couldn't be a roo, but the comb isn't so large that it would indicate it to any extreme.

Many of my birds feather out similarly, with a lack of hackle feathers on the sides of the neck. It's typical growth in many breeds. Some breeds can be sexed by feather growth (using the wing feathers, mainly) but I would call it an unreliable method, at best.

 

[holm25]

I'm thinking cockerel. Its comb is awful big for a pullet.

 

[lilbeastpdx]

I'm thinking cockerel. Its comb is awful big for a pullet.

Yeah, I felt the same way about the comb. The only thing is that it hasn't changed size or color for about three weeks or so, and it has no wattles and no tail feathers. I'm terrible at waiting, but it seems I must. I do like gathering everyone's thoughts, however (especially when they say that it's a pullet hahaha).

 

[junebuggena]

Most cockerels start turning red in the combs at about 6 to 8 weeks old. It's not uncommon for a cockerel to not turn red until 9 or 10 weeks. This chick is still too young to say it's a pullet or a cockerel with any amount of certainty.

 

[lilbeastpdx]

Most cockerels start turning red in the combs at about 6 to 8 weeks old. It's not uncommon for a cockerel to not turn red until 9 or 10 weeks. This chick is still too young to say it's a pullet or a cockerel with any amount of certainty.

That makes sense to me. It seems this chick is in the transitional phase of unknowing. All of my other cockerels turned red at 5 weeks, but I know that is only a coincidence.

But if I could come up with a fool-proof solution to sex chickens with 100% accuracy, I think I could be quite rich.

 

[junebuggena]

There is a fool-proof solution, but it only works for specific crosses. Sexlinks are 100% sexable at hatch, by down color.