8 Chicklets in a box... gender question about 1 of them

[Wishing4Wings]

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! (Hope not!!!) I can see why you're concerned. I have a hatchery SLW that had a red comb and wattle area at 5 weeks also, but her comb was smaller than those in your top two pics. She was also quite leggy and had me worried. Now at 14 weeks she is definitely a pullet, although I think she is more silver SPLOTCHED than laced.

My point is I think the SLW hatchery birds have a lot of variation, and you should wait a few more weeks to be sure. Look for development of a lot of white on the wings, which will show a male. It would be unlikely for you to have gotten 2+ roos in such a small group, unless someone confused straight run with sexed pullets (or was sexing with a serious hangover

).

I think you still have a chance for pullets. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst!

Best wishes!

 

[Gifa]

Yeah. I got them at a feed store that sources from Estes Hatchery. They are supposed to be all pullets and they were picked out at random. So... it would just be some terrible luck. Then again, SLW Hens do have rather red combs from what I've seen in photos... But the legs on #1 and #2 are concerning, and the black ring around #1's neck is doubly concerning. No matter how they turn out, I think that continuing to document their progress with photos could be helpful for others.

It won't be the end of the world if they are all roo's other than the fact that they were my only brown egg layers. It just means that I will be learning how to harvest, and integrate new birds a lot sooner than I expected to be... because I definitely want brown layers. On the up side, I wouldn't need to integrate more than 3 or 4 birds... and my brooder box is currently housing 8, so I am confident that I could use the brooder box in the coop to help that process along.

 

[Hezz]

Wyandottes are a hard breed to sex, especially at that age. Give them a little more time and post some new pics in a few weeks.

 

[Gifa]

Well... I am not sure they are too young to tell anymore...

Here they are at 7 weeks...



99% sure I have a boy...


and 2 girls...



*sigh*

 

[juliechick]

You are right, a rooster and 2 pullets.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

The possible cockerel has a whole different shape from the other 2! (or is it just in the pic?) You're probably right, but I'd still wait until I heard crowing.

As far as brown egg laying replacements, have both blk Australorp and buff Orp from hatchery. Both very nice, even tempered and attractive pullets. Still waiting for eggs.

 

[Gifa]

The possible cockerel has a whole different shape from the other 2! (or is it just in the pic?) You're probably right, but I'd still wait until I heard crowing.

As far as brown egg laying replacements, have both blk Australorp and buff Orp from hatchery. Both very nice, even tempered and attractive pullets. Still waiting for eggs.

It's just the pose the camera caught him in that gives him a different shape... but his legs are actually differently shaped. They're bigger, and instead of the petticoat look that the other two have on, he's totally wearing overalls.

I will definitely hold out until there's crowing... and when there is, I'll be very proud of myself (as a first time chicken owner) that I called this when they were 3 days old.

 

[Gifa]

Well... 8.5 weeks... there's no mistake about it now... I'm seeing noticeable saddle feathers, and a noticeable difference between tail feather development on top of the comb development.

Here's what my pullets look like:-----------------------------|| And here's what the Cockerel looks like:





On the pullet (left)... all of those feathers are fat, outwardly curved Vs. They are white with black lacing.

On the cockerel (right)... the saddle feathers are skinny, inwardly curved Vs. They are black with white lacing. The white "fringe" lacing is also very very shiny. Also, note the pronounced iridescent green starting on the black areas on the wing feathers and tail feathers.



In addition to that... Look at the difference between their tails at 8 weeks:




The pullet in the front has a long pointed tail, with a prominent amount of white on it. The cockerel in the back there has a more stubby looking tail... mostly black... but starting yesterday, and it's hard to see in this photo, but there are the beginnings of some extremely shiny iridescent green tail feathers popping out of the stub.

 

[Gifa]

Last photo post. 10 weeks.

Pullet.



Pullet.



Roo.



I've decided to "treat" this roo everyday to some high protein Gamebird/Showbird feed to see if I can plump this stud muffin up in the next 3 - 6 weeks now that I know for sure what I'm dealing with. I bet he's delicious.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Last photo post. 10 weeks.

Pullet.



Pullet.



Roo.



I've decided to "treat" this roo everyday to some high protein Gamebird/Showbird feed to see if I can plump this stud muffin up in the next 3 - 6 weeks now that I know for sure what I'm dealing with. I bet he's delicious.

Very manly!

Was this the chick facing the "wrong" way in your original post? And he was labeled #1 in both sets of pics on page 2?