3 Barred Rocks

[From the North]

Here are a few pictures of my 3 Barred Rocks. They are supposed to be all pullets. At four weeks old, should I be able to tell if I have a rooster?

http://i.imgur.com/ttrrXfG.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/YL512L6.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Wn1bP16.jpg

 

[sillycmoy]

They look like Pullets to me, Roos tend to be more lighter in color and the barring is more defined. But only time will tell. Good luck, they are adorable.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Once your eye begins to distinguish the difference, it is quite obvious.

 

[From the North]

How old are the two in the lower picture? They are remarkably different. (Yay if mine are, in fact, all pullets!)

 

[Fred's Hens]

4.5 weeks, 5 weeks tops.

The males have two barring genes, which makes their barrings look brighter and whiter. The females, on hatchery stock, have cuckoo spots and only have one barring gene.

Cockerels sprout combs and wattles at 6 weeks, bright, big and red. Pullets' combs remain yellowish, and no wattles.

Your chicks are pullets. They are dark, with cuckoo spots. They are not cockerels. However, some are sneaky and look a bit "off". At six weeks? You'll be virtually certain.

 

[From the North]

However, some are sneaky and look a bit "off".

Just wondering what you mean by that? Thanks

 

[Fred's Hens]

Just wondering what you mean by that? Thanks

There is that one chick in a hundred or five hundred that simply doesn't quite fit the typology. Suddenly, at 14 or 15 weeks, they FINALLY show themselves. It is very rare. Very rare. But it does happen. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[From the North]

Thank you; my brain was tired and slow last night and for some reason I read it as "some of your pullets look a bit "off" " So I was trying to figure out if there was something wrong with them! It all makes sense this morning. At least it's Friday!! Thanks again