7week old barred rocks - is my hen a roo?

[akirkley]

I purchased all hens except for one Speckled Sussex Roo - and my birds are 7 weeks old now. My Roo has DEF been a roo for a while now. He's showing very nicely.

Then today, I check on my chicks, and one of my barred rocks is lookin a little... roo-ish. Can you help me out?

Here's my SS Roo - for comparison. Might not matter since he's a different breed.

And here are two of my three barred rocks. Not that I'd have to say it, but the one in question is on the left. The comb is slightly bigger, definitely a little bit redder. The only hope I have is that that BR is bigger than my other two. Not by a lot, but it is bigger. Maybe 'she's' just more mature? Not sure how that would really be possible. They are the same age.



And a close up of the one on the right:




And the chick in question...




Thanks so much!

 

[Baggagolers]

I think Barred Rock roos have yellow legs and hens have a dark front on their legs. So going by the picture I would guess it's not a roo. I am not sure if that holds true with all barred rocks, but it did with mine.

 

[akirkley]

That was the only thing I had going for me. It's 'stripes' aren't any more defined than the others, and its legs are black, or have the black fronts like the other ones.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Speckled sussex is a cockerel. BR on the left looks to be a cockerel with hen barring, which is not common, but can happen. Black sex link males are also barred, but the barring on your bird looks pretty crisp for a black sex link. Other BR is a pullet.

 

[akirkley]

In case you all were wondering - wanted to update. Ended up - both are Hens! She was just a little more mature. She's now my top lady too. She was the first to mature out of my 11 hens. I'm 100% positive too... unless my rooster is gay.

 

[crchickens]

I have 4 barred rocks, well now 5,but that is a different story. Two developed faster then the other two, along with one of my buff orpingtons, and one of my silver laced wyandottes. I thought for sure, from looking on here, that five of my birds were cockerels. They were all purchased as pullets. Then, a very experienced with chicken friend of mine saw pictures and said, "people do not mature at the same rate, why would you think your chickens would?" That was weeks ago. They are now 20 weeks old, and no one has saddle feathers, no one has crowed, and I am quite certain they are all hens. If I went by their red combs, I would have gotten rid of 5 of my chickens, but at this point, honestly, I am pretty sure they are all pullets. One of them laid the first egg yesterday, so I think they are just maturing now.

 

[Brandi Leigh]

I would say that the barred rock is a female. some females just have more developed combs and waddles.