One Obvious Roo; Could Others Be Laying Low With the Hens?? (5 Weeks)

[ChickieChickieMama]

The two Golden Comets are definitely girls. They are a red sex link variety, so you're pretty much guaranteed pullets with those. The touch of pink in Mabel's comb is a little concerning, but that's the only male trait the bird has. And bantams can develop very early. So I think she could well be a pullet. I would keep an eye on her, though.

I feel bad that you ended up with so many cockerels. It's a bummer. Many of us have gone through the same thing. You might try the feed store or hatchery to see if they will trade the would be Welsummers for pullets, or at least give you a refund.

You may also be able to find started Welsummer pullets somewhere. It's worth the extra cost to know you are getting what you want. If you do find some, look for birds with salmon or rusty red colored breast feathers. Avoid any that have any black in the breast feathers.

Thank you so much for all your input and advice!! Thanks everyone for the support!!

I have no regrets getting chicks...they've been an awesome learning process for me and for my two little kids. I'd like to raise them from eggs even too and I've got the equipment already. Now I just need to figure out who to keep and how to balance my flock!! I'd love to keep some roosters and am allowed to but I don't know how to bulk up my pullet selection quickly enough!!

I don't think I can part with my black Bantam cochin or my bantam golden seabright, and that enormous obvious rooster has been so great with the ladies so far I have come to like him quite a lot. I really adored the possible Welsummer rooster as a chick....it loved to cuddle everyone but I don't have much attachment to it now nor do I feel strongly about my full sized buff cochin, who was always up in everyone's business haha.

I've already got six more chicks in the brooder (about two weeks old now) and even though it's far too early to tell, I have a feeling I have one of each sex (I've got two silkies, two Polish and two EE's). And of course, it's possible I may have to keep the silkies and polish separate from the main flock, though I was hoping with my docile first group of many bantams that I could keep them all together - but certainly not with that many roos!

Any suggestions on which ones to keep and what to try to get to even out my flock? I've got plenty of room (main coop is 13x17 and run is about 15x30. Smaller coop is a prefab that I would feel comfortable keeping MAX 4 in but would prefer to keep vacant and use only for quarantine purposes).

Is there a great way to buy a lot of pullets at once? I really wanted a nice mixed flock, not just production pullets...I've been watching on a few Facebook groups, Craigslist and here but I've had trouble finding healthy looking pullets for a reasonable price....any tips?