6 week old BCM - Cockerel?

[aglandaetap]

I’m guessing pullet for now. BCM cockerels will have much larger/redder wattles/comb around this age, typically. I may be wrong. Keep us posted in 2-3 weeks with newer pics.

 

[ronott1]

You're more than welcome. Don't lose heart yet, there's still a good chance your little one is a pretty pullet (which I'm leaning towards, in fact). We shall know more in another few weeks.

~Alex

X2!

Nothing screams cockerel to me either. Wait until 10 to 12 weeks old. Look at pictures of marans cockerels. they get red feathering on them. pullets get little to no red

 

[Cyprus]

Personally, I believe that is a pullet.

 

[Jules929]

I agree. Here is my BCM cockerel at 5 weeks, for comparison:

 

[IamRainey]

X2!

Nothing screams cockerel to me either. Wait until 10 to 12 weeks old. Look at pictures of marans cockerels. they get red feathering on them. pullets get little to no red

Yes, with my cockerel it was the amber colored feathers on his flanks that made me wonder. They weren't particularly pointed at that point and he didn't have colored hackles either but he definitely had a lot of colored feathers just below and in front of the saddle feathers.

Now he's a beauty and, though we never intended to have a male, we're crazy about him. We're hoping he'll pass along that dark color gene to our non-BCM must-breed flock and we'll get some interesting egg colors over time.

 

[HuffleClaw]

Agreed with @Alexandra33

 

[AmaranthineAcres]

Thank you all! That is encouraging! I'll keep Branwen whether she turns out to be a cockerel or not. But I can only have one roo and my plan was to get an O/O blue egg gene roo, so we'll see if she thwarts that plan!

 

[Alexandra33]

Thank you all! That is encouraging! I'll keep Branwen whether she turns out to be a cockerel or not. But I can only have one roo and my plan was to get an O/O blue egg gene roo, so we'll see if she thwarts that plan!

Blue egg roosters are incredibly handy. Dark eggers, such as Marans, are also wonderful for creating Olive Eggers.

~Alex

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

By 6 weeks my bcm cockerels (had 4 last year....) were showing much larger, and more noticeably, redder combs and wattles than your bird-heck by 4 weeks for 3 of them. While there is some development, things are still flesh toned and not *that startling*.....I would have this little one in my catching suspiciously" category with heavy leaning to pullet

 

[Autumn baby]

It looks hard for me to tell too. Looks like a male to me just because of the feet. But, I’m not much of an expert in this area. Your chicken is adorable and I love that your dog is such a momma.