I'm pretty sure she's not a rooster, but I thought I heard a crow....

[uhohmaeday]

I have a group of 10 week old chicks in the house currently due to the weather being rather harsh. Well, I was going about my business when I heard what sounded like a cockerel trying to crow. None of these chicks have ever hinted at being cockerels. I watched them for a bit, and it appears to be my Golden Campine, Aoife. She's very, very, very talkative and always has been, but her comb is, well, tiny and mostly tan/beige with just the slight hint of pink color. I'd think at ten weeks the color would be more developed if she was in fact a he. Actually, her comb has a bit of grey on it similar to her beak. I don't think she is slow on gaining pigment because her legs are nice and grey/blue. Could she just be a noisy little bugger? I also thought I heard her cough. Her voice is kind of hoarse. I don't know if that's what Campines sound like. I've never had one before her. She's very active and has clear eyes, so I'm not too concerned about the cough. It was just a single one I heard and could be anything, but I'm going to keep an eye on her.

I must say after hearing what sounded like crowing, I went on a sexing spree for the others in the house. I freaked out because I read somewhere that EEs that are silver (white and black combo) tend to be cockerels, but our little bantam looks like she doesn't have a comb... at all. Our mottled cochin bantam barely has a comb as well. Same with the Welsummer and white cochin. The Campine has the largest comb and there isn't much there. We had a speckled sussex cockerel last time around and by 10 weeks it was fairly obvious, so I really just think I'm worrying over nothing. I saw pictures of golden campine cockerels at 6 weeks and they have bigger, pinker combs than Aoife has. The chicks also have absolutely no signs of wattles. I can post pictures in a bit if that would help, but has anyone had a young pullet sound like it was crowing almost?

 

[uhohmaeday]

Here is a picture of Aoife.

 

[uhohmaeday]

I'm pretty sure it was Aoife that "crowed", but here are the others to just be certain they're pullets. (Don't mind the dirty feet, we've had crazy weather and it's been insanely muddy. They're going to get warm feet baths tomorrow. Just wanted to get them out of the weather by tonight.)

This is Jezebel the mottled cochin bantam.

Sleepy, our ER bantam. Also a part time model.

The Welsummer (no name yet, suggestions welcome!)

The White Cochin (also no name, she photographs horribly and gets really sassy when she knows the camera is out).

 

[Toddrick]

The white one has wattles coming in. I'd me most suspicious of that one. Maybe it's comb is just slow to develop?

 

[uhohmaeday]

Here is a picture I just took of the cochin. I'm just curious if the opposite could be the same? Could the wattles be developing a little faster, and she still be a she? They aren't super red like I've seen in photos of other cochins at this age. I'm really hoping she's not because we can't have any more roos.

 

[Toddrick]

I hope the opposite is true. I just didn't see any wattle whatsoever on the others, which is a good sign. My cockerels had wattles as big as those at only three weeks (and raised pink combs). Not sure how the different breeds progress though.

 

[uhohmaeday]

Same. And I don't have any other to compare to, really. I'll check the other chicks more closely tomorrow in their wattle area. They're fast asleep right now, and if I wake them up Aoife will not be quiet! Such a talkative one I have. She's charmed my heart certainly. I'm such a paranoid chicken mom (hence the reason they are in the house). I don't want to have to rehome any of them!