Speckled sussex pullet or roo?

[A roo or two]

My chicks are now 8.5-9 weeks old, so no saddle feathers or hackles to go by yet.

Do you say pullet or roo for this one? All these pics are the same bird.

 

[Allyhoward18]

Sorry I don't have an answer for you but I have this exact same problem with my light sussex, they are 12 weeks old, one has a comb like yours but all of the others don't have one at all!! Being 12 weeks old does this make it more likely to be a hen as it doesn't have a wattle or saddle feathers. I'm really stressed because my neighbours didnt want me to have a roo and if this chicken suddenly wakes me up at 4am one morning, I donno what I'm going to do!!! Haha

 

[BantamLover21]

Looks like a cockerel to me. Pullets don't get quite as large/red a comb and wattles at this age as what your bird has.

 

[Allyhoward18]

Do you know when they start to crow?

 

[BantamLover21]

Do you know when they start to crow?

It varies with each bird. Some roosters start crowing as young as 4-5 weeks of age. Most begin to crow at 8-10 weeks of age. And rarely (especially with Silkies), some roosters don't crow until they are 5+ months of age.

 

[TiaRC]

I vote cockerel

 

[Wyandottes7]

I'd personally guess pullet.

To answer your other question, it depends on the bird. Some roosters (especially bantams) start early, around 5-8 weeks. Other birds may wait for months before they crow for the first time.

 

[Allyhoward18]

Mines a light sussex 12 weeks old, no wattles but a comb which none of my others have, do some just grow faster than others or may it be a dominance thing ?

 

[A roo or two]

This is a closeup taken this morning.



I guess I'm gonna be the one with 4/6 chicks that are roos

Oh well, it is what it is. I truly hope that Wyandottes7 is correct.

 

[donrae]

I agree it's a lot of comb for a pullet of this age, but then again it's not near as red as I'd expect from a cockerel. I'm tentatively saying pullet, but would love to see pics in a few more weeks to see how it turns out!