10 week old roosters?

[klbrand]

I’ve been told by my Facebook chicken group that I have 4 roosters out of my flock of 5… can someone confirm this is true based on photos? Are the combs always a factor based on the age?

I might’ve gone out and bought 3 more hens to make sure we’d have eggs someday. But I don’t wanna give away my little chicks if I’m not sure they’re roosters. Please help. Thanks!

 

[The Moonshiner]

Are these all 5 of your birds or is someone pictured twice.
I think all those are cockerels.

 

[FunnyBunny89]

I think number one is a pullet, number two and three are cockerels, number four could be either way based on the photo but probably cockerel, and number five is a cockerel. I THINK I see saddle feathers for all of them except the obvious pullet. Your group appears to be right!

 

[FunnyBunny89]

Are these all 5 of your birds or is someone pictured twice.
I think all those are cockerels.

If you zoom in, the first one is the only red one without saddle feathers.

 

[klbrand]

Are these all 5 of your birds or is someone pictured twice.
I think all those are cockerels.

Two of the birds are nearly identical

 

[The Moonshiner]

If you zoom in, the first one is the only red one without saddle feathers.

Ya but they're 10 weeks old. That's early for saddle feathers and you can see on the others that they're just starting to come in.
That's a lot of comb and comb color for a 10 week old pullet. I think it's a cockerel that's just a little slower maturing then some of the others.
If there's one I'd watch longer and hope on it would be that one.

 

[FunnyBunny89]

Ya but they're 10 weeks old. That's early for saddle feathers and you can see on the others that they're just starting to come in.
That's a lot of comb and comb color for a 10 week old pullet. I think it's a cockerel that's just a little slower maturing then some of the others.
If there's one I'd watch longer and hope on it would be that one.

Could be! I had a pullet that had a lot of comb for a 10 week old but no saddle feathers or hackles.

 

[klbrand]

If you zoom in, the first one is the only red one without saddle feathers.

What is a saddle feather and how do I tell what it is?

 

[klbrand]

We tried examining each one this evening at the tail feather. We can see the pullet has rounded feathers and we see pointed feathers on what appears to be the roosters. Are the shape of the tail feathers a good way to tell?

 

[FunnyBunny89]

We tried examining each one this evening at the tail feather. We can see the pullet has rounded feathers and we see pointed feathers on what appears to be the roosters. Are the shape of the tail feathers a good way to tell?

Yes! In my humble experience, it's the saddle feathers that are the biggest giveaway. Yours appear to have the onset of them. They are longer, shinier, and sit on the back just in front of the tail. Your roos also appear to have hackle feathers just starting but it's too soon to say in that regard. But I'm sure I see the saddle feathers.