7 week old...cockerel?

[RootandRoost]

Were all three hatched together from the same parents? The 2 red heads do have bigger and redder combs and wattles. The white headed one has smaller, paler comb and wattles. If so, I am thinking 2 boys and one girl (white head) based on comparison. My guesses on young birds are usually most accurate when I have both sexes of birds of the same age and variety. The differences usually give it away. Either way, it's always fun to make a guess!

I only have one rooster (who hatched last year in our coop. He came from a neighbor's egg who has 2 roosters: 1 red sex link and 1 other red rooster, not sure on the variety. His mother was a red sex link)

The only chick I'm certain of is the one "in question" currently. S/he came from my Buff Minorca's egg--a white egg. S/he is very active and loud. But, his "bio mother" is also very vocal...and flighty.

The other two came from brown eggs. Possibilities are Buff Orpington, a rescue reddish/white hen, Black sex link...and maybe...a Barred Plymouth Rock (she was one of my broodies, but jumped on the broody train late, so it's possible one of her eggs made it to the "hatch" group, that was later shared with her.
All of this makes it very hard to compare. Also, the lighter chick hatched late and is almost a week younger than the other two. I almost discarded as a dud egg until I heard a peep.

It is fun to make guesses and watch the process. This is only the second time I've hatched babies with broody hens. Last year, only two hens went broody and they each ended up with one baby including our rooster.
Luckily, I have friends who will take roosters...but still, I'm hoping for fewer roosters. One friend wants a couple just to watch over her flock (she lost both of hers to a neighbor coyote back in May. That coyote is no longer around). BUT the other one will harvest the males. I'm hoping to have no more than two...I'm not opposed to harvesting chickens, but I tend to get attached to them AND I don't personally eat chicken.

 

[RootandRoost]

Ok. I'm curious to see how this one pans out- because I agree with you- but at the same time the feathers are saying a different story to me. Given that it is a mutt- I don't know how reliable the waddles and comb color are because of all the mixed types of birds. Will be interesting for sure. I hope the OP keeps us updated!

I will!

 

[chrissynemetz]

I would say 'possible' cockerel..... but I'm pretty much on the fence with this one. Could you post more pictures in a few weeks?

 

[RootandRoost]

Here’s the chick 2 weeks later.
The comb hasn’t changed in 2 weeks. Its still pink with yellow at the tips. S/he is maybe slightly bigger than the other chicks. Slightly. S/he was the first to hatch, though, with the others hatching in the following 6 days. His legs are not thicker than the others. Anyway, here are update pics.

 

[cstephens1987]

I'm going hen actually. The rear is shaping out like a hen to me, not a roo in my opinion. Usually by now there would be saddle feathers forming on a roo and his tail feathers would be more flattened not standing upward. I also don't see any arrow feathers on it's neck. Probably still a little early to tell, but I don't think anyone will be able to sex this bird with certainty at this point.

Male saddle/hackle feathers aren't visible until 3+ months of age

 

[cstephens1987]

Here’s the chick 2 weeks later.
The comb hasn’t changed in 2 weeks. Its still pink with yellow at the tips. S/he is maybe slightly bigger than the other chicks. Slightly. S/he was the first to hatch, though, with the others hatching in the following 6 days. His legs are not thicker than the others. Anyway, here are update pics.

I'm really torn on this one tbph. Let's see how it looks at 12-14 weeks

 

[Katejc]

Stumbled across this thread on a search and now I am wondering if there is an update!

 

[RootandRoost]

Stumbled across this thread on a search and now I am wondering if there is an update!

I guess it is time for another update. This "chick" will be 14 weeks on Sunday. BUT, I'm still not sure. Its comb and wattles are a little bigger than the others, but not as big as my rooster's were at 12 weeks. This chick has no saddle feathers yet. My rooster (his/her father) had saddle feathers showing at 12 weeks. I have 8 chicks. Six of them hatched in our coop. Two were purchased from Atwoods. They are all 13 weeks old. One of the purchased ones is a male for sure. He is a bantam Dark Cornish (I think) He has saddle feathers and the sickle tail feathers. There has been no crowing from the chick coop yet, either.
I'm really 50/50 on this one. Well...maybe 51/49. It would be SO weird that my hens hatched all females! I'll try to get a picture tomorrow.

 

[RootandRoost]

The chick will be 14 weeks tomorrow. Updated pics.

 

[Acre4Me]

The chick will be 14 weeks tomorrow. Updated pics.

looks female to me!