2.5week old heritage barred rock chick gender guess

[Littlepetal]

hi there, I’ve got two barred rock chicks that are heritage background so very slow to feather, one is definitely a roo (already getting some comb) the other I’m very unsure, it’s much darker than the roo and there isn’t really a comb but the feather growth is the same as the roo so I’m stumped

 

[Rose Quartz]

hi there, I’ve got two barred rock chicks that are heritage background so very slow to feather, one is definitely a roo (already getting some comb) the other I’m very unsure, it’s much darker than the roo and there isn’t really a comb but the feather growth is the same as the roo so I’m stumped

2 girls. the lighter one could possibly be a boy, but the head spot looks like it might be a girl too. at 4 weeks if it's a boy the comb will start getting redder than the other 2

 

[Mosey2003]

That's definitely a pair.

You can't use the head spot thing on heritage BR's. The barring is the way to go there.

The pullet is still going to feather in more slowly than a hatchery type bird, but at a certain point she'll outstrip the cockerel and he will look AWFUL

 

[Littlepetal]

Ooo good to know! It’s so hard to find chick development info on the heritage ones. I’m hoping it’s a pullet, one of each would be perfect!

 

[Mosey2003]

Ooo good to know! It’s so hard to find chick development info on the heritage ones. I’m hoping it’s a pullet, one of each would be perfect!

They're easy as pie once you hatch a few batches from your lines. The males will have that thick white bar, and the females will be very, very dark. Also, the amount of leg wash, especially right after hatch, means nothing with these. BUT, within a couple weeks, the males (at least in my lines) lose all or nearly all the wash and will have all yellow legs, while the pullets don't. Just don't pay a bit of attention to head spots, and check them right at the age you're doing these and you won't go wrong. They get a bit iffy in between, but when there's about an inch of wing feather, totally easy.

 

[Littlepetal]

The leg wash completely threw me off as both were dark. Will post some more pics in a week or so

 

[Mosey2003]

The leg wash completely threw me off as both were dark. Will post some more pics in a week or so

Yep, heritage males tend to have more.

You gotta remember too, even with hatchery birds, sight sexing Barred Rocks from the leg wash and head spot is still a bit dicey, honestly. As long as your birds aren't dark barred (like is common in Australia) going by the wing feathers at about 2 weeks is easiest.

 

[Compost King]

I identify Barred rocks on the white to black ratio in the barring. Whiter barring = Male, Darker Barring = female... not a sure thing but its worked for me in the past.