6.5 week old brown leghorn chicks, male or female?

[finlay225]

I appear to have 4 pullets (only a couple on pics) with tiny combs, and 3 roos with large pink combs. But someone warned me that it can be hard to tell with leghorn chicks as the females can have large combs too. But mine just seem so different, but this is my first hatch, so put some pics on for your input. Many thanks

 

[QueenMisha]

Since the Brown Leghorn is a dimorphic color, you should be able to tell sex quite easily at this age based on plumage. Males will have an overall darker and richer red appearance, but most of all will always have black or dark breast feathers, while pullets will have brown/salmon breasts. Of the five birds in these photos, the three to the left are cockerels and the two to the right look to be pullets.

 

[dmanhefner]

Above is correct. You can tell about 75% at hatch based on black mark at eyes and top of head. Pullets eye band runs from beak to neck through eye. Roosters band starts at eye and fades. Anyway, at the age yours are big difference in combs.

 

[finlay225]

Thank you so much for your replies. Yes my 3 boys have black breast feathers, and the girls are brown like you said. Will be keeping my 4 pullets, not sure how easy it will be to find homes for the roos. Really good advice though, always learning something new, and you confirmed my suspicions, thanks again

 

[donrae]

the person who told you Leghorns were harder to sex was probably taking about white Leghorns. They can be a little difficult, because they do get the larger comb earlier. not as large as your boys, though, or as red. Queen Misha did a great job explaining the difference in color. I hope you find a place for your cockerels.