6mo. Barred Rock Pullet? Or...

[HollyDelightly]

What do you guys think? No crowing yet, but her/his voice just dropped today and the anticipation is driving me crazy!

 

[Fred's Hens]

The lack of the double barring gene, required for a BR male, makes his over all look dark. Plus, the barring is blotchy. This likely indicates that he is a cross. The tell tale sign is the gold/red/brown leakage in the wing. Unless that is merely a photographic anomaly, those red/brown feather indicated leakage of the gold/red of the other portion of his genetic makeup.

If this bird had a red comb and red wattles at 7 weeks of age? It is indeed a male. Males show that characteristic very early. Pullet don't normally show any comb or wattles development until they are much older, around 14 weeks.

 

[donrae]

That's the hard thing about mixed breed barred birds, the males are dark in color like a purebred barred female, so it makes it hard to tell sometimes when they're younger. Your bird is male, and you could call him a black sex link if you need to call him something--he had one barred parent and one non-barred parent. That gold leakage Fred pointed out will likely increase as he gets older, and he'll get some in his hackle feathers also.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

From the lighting and background it's hard to tell but I think I see curved tail feathers and pointy wing feathers.
I would think at 6 months it would be obvious though. I don't see any spurs either.

 

[goldfinches]

Are you sure it's 6 months old? Looks like a cockerel, but not that old, to me.

 

[HollyDelightly]

I was told she/he was born around 5/1, so I rounded up a little, but I got him/her about a month ago so I can't know for sure.

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

I would say definite roo and I agree with the above, not sure it's six months old.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Agree. Looks a bit younger. Additionally, his breeding isn't all that good, so we're seeing mottled barring and a darker overall look. I'd say cockerel. Not standard bred Barred Rock. With two barring genes, a BR cockerel of that age should look like this.

 

[Nutmeg101]

I am FAR from an expert- my guess is a Roo. My BR was very round and hen like at 5 months, no curved tail. I was looking for a good pic of her from that age-

Her head is blurry- but you can see her tail feathers ok- I think.

 

[HollyDelightly]

Haha, I'm relieved to see it's an overall consistent response, even if it's the less ideal answer.

And so much for that blue ribbon he brought home from the state fair for good breeding!