Silver Laced Wyandotte sexing

[StarMeKritten]

Hi, These are my two 16 week old SLW I have never had young chickens before and these guys were 7 wks old when we got them from a hatchery. We have on two seperate occasions heard crowing early in the morning. Can anyone confirm for me if the bird in the top three pics is a roo? The last two pictures are of the other one who has taken to chasing the first bird in the morning when I let them out of the coop not sure the sex of that one either. They are also in with two black australorps which I believe to be females. This is a bit stressful waiting to see for sure as we have 7 almost 3 week old chicks as well and really do not want a rooster! Thanks for any input ;-)

The wire in the photos makes it hard to see the kind of detail needed to sex them. I'm confident that the chicken in this photo is a pullet. I can't see your other wyandotte well enough to be able to tell. Post a good clear photo of the other one from the side with the feathers on the back visible and I should be able to tell on that one too. A male will have thin, shiny, pointy saddle feathers by that age.

 

[chicksACK]

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this is the second chick that was hard to see. this was taken July 29th.

 

[chicksACK]

this was taken on July 29th of the second chick

 

[StarMeKritten]

That one looks like a pullet to me too and so do the australorps. Very strange. I wouldn't expect any of them to be crowing...

 

[chicksACK]

Thank you, I am not sure what the crowing is all about we have heard it twice about 10 days or so apart.

 

[cjpines]

My SLW roo had a lot more white, especially in his wing feathers, than my hen did when they were chicks. Look in the pic above, see the pullet on the bottom right and how much darker her coloring is than the SLW cockerel's? Look for large patches of white on the wings for the boys. Hope that helps!

Does the male roosters always have a white patch of feathers on their shoulders?

 

[StarMeKritten]

Does the male roosters always have a white patch of feathers on their shoulders?

Yes, but sometimes not until they get their adult feathering in. Their patterning might stay very even until they are 3-4 months old. Or they can start to look patchy much earlier.

 

[cjpines]

Yes, but sometimes not until they get their adult feathering in. Their patterning might stay very even until they are 3-4 months old. Or they can start to look patchy much earlier.

Thanks, I'll wait until adult feathering as we really don't know her or his age for sure.

 

[StarMeKritten]

Thanks, I'll wait until adult feathering as we really don't know her or his age for sure.

Feel free to post some photos. I'd be happy to take a look at them. If they are younger than about 3 months, the size an color of the comb and wattles is the best way to tell. Wyandottes can usually be sexed pretty accurately by 6-8 weeks old.. though sometimes it's trickier when you're looking at photos instead of in person.

 

[cjpines]

Feel free to post some photos. I'd be happy to take a look at them. If they are younger than about 3 months, the size an color of the comb and wattles is the best way to tell. Wyandottes can usually be sexed pretty accurately by 6-8 weeks old.. though sometimes it's trickier when you're looking at photos instead of in person.

This is he or she. Let me know if you can sex it.