5 weeks silver laced wyandottes - slow feathering indicates possibly roos to be?

[3KillerBs]

Wyandottes tend to pink up early and both females/males tend to be slow to fully feather. Both of my Wyandottes pinked up early, feathered slowly and combs at 7 weeks look like yours do.

And even beyond that, poor lacing on females can mimic the early stages of the males' white wing bows.

I was *sure* I had a male in my first 2 SLWs but she just had poor lacing.

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

And even beyond that, poor lacing on females can mimic the early stages of the males' white wing bows.

I was *sure* I had a male in my first 2 SLWs but she just had poor lacing.

My SLW i have now i thought was a male because of her slow feathering and comb pinkining up super fast. She also had bad lacing, but her first molt really brought in better lacing. I still think they are females though!

 

[HollowOfWisps]

And even beyond that, poor lacing on females can mimic the early stages of the males' white wing bows.

I was *sure* I had a male in my first 2 SLWs but she just had poor lacing.

Mine too has poor lacing. She looked better after her first hard molt, but still hatchery quality.

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

Maybe this helps? My SLW cockerel.

 

[chooki]

It's that time of the week again ...

Week 8 pictures:

Getting unsexed SLW chicks and watch them grow while trying to guess their gender is like watching a long suspense TV series - keep you guessing until the very end

 

[chooki]

SLW with the rest of the flock:

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

Baby dinosaur?

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

It's that time of the week again ...

Week 8 pictures:

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Getting unsexed SLW chicks and watch them grow while trying to guess their gender is like watching a long suspense TV series - keep you guessing until the very end

I would say pullets still! And i will never get unsexed SLW ever mine i got sexed and i still thought it was a cockeral up until 13 weeks old.

 

[chooki]

Those chicks were ordered as day old from a breeder and I had to wait for 23 days, they came as unsexed and costed over $100 Australian dollars in total.

I don't mind roosters as we have a farm. I figured that one more rooster on our farm, one less heading for the chopping board when they start crowing. Besides, I can hatch own chicks next year.

The problem is that the farm not as secure as our suburban backyard. I have purchased steel mesh and built a 2.4m x 2.4m metal cage, also got about 10 pallets and intend to use them as the 2nd layer fence outside the steel mesh. The roof will be steel mesh and corrugated iron roofing (left over building material) with some insulation.

Still, I am not certain that it will be secure enough. I have already lost 3 chickens on the farm, being naive and let them live in the unsecured porch area.

There will be people staying on the farm 30%-40% of the times, the other 60%-70% is what I worry about. There are eagles, foxes, snakes and wild dogs in the area. Those animals avoid confrontation with people, but when no one is on the farm ... I can imagine them having a party next to the chicken coop ...

 

[chooki]

My other pullets & cockerels: