5-week-old Turken gender?

[2feetx4paws]

I have 4 turken chicks that were supposed to be all pullets, but someone looks very different than the others.

I didn’t know about the photo recommendations before, but I’ve tried to choose pics that will be helpful, now that I’ve read that.

The first 2 photos are the most recent, taken at 5 weeks old. I don’t have a current full body profile shot.



This was the closest I could find to a side profile or overhead shot. At the time I took this, the wee one had just reached 4 weeks old.



And lastly, this picture was taken at 3 weeks old. That red blushing had been catching my eye for a couple of days by that time, but it wasn’t constant. It seemed to come and go, with no rhyme or reason that I could figure out.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Pyxis]

Definitely looks like a little cockerel.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Quite the little boy there!

 

[2feetx4paws]

That might have seemed like a rather stupid question, with all that red showing, but we’re having a family disagreement about this chick.

I thought it was a cockerel when that intermittent “blushing” started. But, since I wasn’t certain and one thing our entire family agrees on is we didn’t want roosters, I just kept my trap shut.

After his comb and the area under his beak started turning really red continuously, I mentioned that I thought he was a cockerel. I expected my mother to throw something at me, but luckily she stopped at just cussing and swearing.

A few days later, a friend sent me a link to “the feather site,” and pointed out that there were several turken pullets and hens shown there, with very red faces/heads/wattles, so I was probably wrong.

I still think he’s a he, and eventually something will pop out of one end or the other that will clarify that, beyond any doubt. He’ll stay here and have a great life either way.

The only thing I’m left wondering about, as far as this topic goes, is why some Turken hens and pullets, like those on that feather website have such bright red combs and wattles, but others don’t?

 

[Frazzemrat1]

It all has to do with age. A cockerel will redden up, and grow their comb and wattles far earlier than a pullet will. Boys will be red by the time they are 8 weeks, usually, where pullets won't usually turn red until they're about to start laying... like a month or so before hand. They also wont' grow their comb or wattles big until they're about 17-18 weeks.

 

[2feetx4paws]

While I was asking about that first chick, I thought I noticed another “blushing,” but then I thought I was just being paranoid.

This is Flash - age is 6.5 weeks.

Flash never sits still, so it’s next to impossible to get decent pictures - believe me, I’ve tried!

Can y’all tell if this is another cockerel, from these less than stellar pics?

These are the clearest pics of the head and the area under the chin, where the “blushing,” started.

These are the best whole body pics I could get. Flash is never completely still, so they’re kinda blurry.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Your first one is an early cockerel. This one *may be* a cockerel. It may not. Keep an eye on it. I say this because the comb is no where near as large, even if the wattles are starting to 'blush'. Keep in mind, at this age, if they get excited their faces can flush. Give this one some time.