5 week old Partridge Rock - pullet or roo?

[spuddenly]

Hey! I have a partridge rock that's just a day shy of 5 weeks old and I'm 80% suspicious about it potentially being a roo (it was sold from the hatchery with a 90% pullet rate, but we know how that goes).

Its comb is still fairly small but it's pretty red in certain lights (see #2) but not all (#1, #4, #5).

What makes me more suspicious in addition to the comb and some wattles coming in (picture #4):

• It's feet look fairly thick (picture #3) - am I off-base there?
• Size-wise it's almost 2x the size of my Orpington that's a week younger, although my Blue Plymouth Rock is almost its size as well, so maybe its a breed thing.
• Personality-wise it's one of the bolder chicks and was one of the first to jump on my knees/hands. It's slowly becoming less of a fan of getting picked up and held as it gets older.
• I've never owned a roo so I'm not familiar with how they walk or behave, but I've frequently seeing this chick looking up/over things and standing tall/stretching its neck up high even if for a few seconds at a time (which I've read online can be a roo behavior).

It's definitely possible it's still too early to tell between a fast-developing pullet and a slow-developing roo. I can post more pictures in a few weeks if so.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Hey! I have a partridge rock that's just a day shy of 5 weeks old and I'm 80% suspicious about it potentially being a roo (it was sold from the hatchery with a 90% pullet rate, but we know how that goes).

Its comb is still fairly small but it's pretty red in certain lights (see #2) but not all (#1, #4, #5).

What makes me more suspicious in addition to the comb and some wattles coming in (picture #4):

• It's feet look fairly thick (picture #3) - am I off-base there?
• Size-wise it's almost 2x the size of my Orpington that's a week younger, although my Blue Plymouth Rock is almost its size as well, so maybe its a breed thing.
• Personality-wise it's one of the bolder chicks and was one of the first to jump on my knees/hands. It's slowly becoming less of a fan of getting picked up and held as it gets older.
• I've never owned a roo so I'm not familiar with how they walk or behave, but I've frequently seeing this chick looking up/over things and standing tall/stretching its neck up high even if for a few seconds at a time (which I've read online can be a roo behavior).

It's definitely possible it's still too early to tell between a fast-developing pullet and a slow-developing roo. I can post more pictures in a few weeks if so.

Coloring looks female. Partridge colored birds have gender specific coloring.

 

[Northwest_Wannabe]

It does have pretty chunky legs, but the comb isn't much of a concern to me. Do your other chicks have any wattles starting yet?

 

[spuddenly]

Coloring looks female. Partridge colored birds have gender specific coloring.

TIL!! Definitely did not know this. Super cool - thanks for educating me.

It does have pretty chunky legs, but the comb isn't much of a concern to me. Do your other chicks have any wattles starting yet?

Good to know! This is the only Partridge Rock I have unfortunately, so I don't have others to compare it to.The only other 5 week-old of the batch is a Production Blue who is similarly large with chunky legs, also has some some small pale wattles starting, & is also fairly bold/outgoing. I was actually going to post that one in its own thread as well haha. Guess I might as well post it here for comparison:

 

[LadiesAndJane]

TIL!! Definitely did not know this. Super cool - thanks for educating me.


Good to know! This is the only Partridge Rock I have unfortunately, so I don't have others to compare it to.The only other 5 week-old of the batch is a Production Blue who is similarly large with chunky legs, also has some some small pale wattles starting, & is also fairly bold/outgoing. I was actually going to post that one in its own thread as well haha. Guess I might as well post it here for comparison:

View attachment 2664904

Looks female so far.

 

[Painted Calls]

Your Rock is a pullet. Your second chick also appears to be a pullet. If the second chick colors up and gets a significantly larger comb/wattles in the next few weeks, then I'd say cockerel.

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

She's a pullet! A male would be beginning to get black breast feathers like this