All breeds about the same with comb development for roos?

[grullablue]

Last year when we raised leghorns (straight run), by 2.5-3 weeks of age it was VERY obvious that some were developing larger combs than others, so we could tell how many roos we had, which ended up being true when they got older.

I now have a mix of RIRs and australorps that are at 4 weeks exactly today. They were ordered as pullets, but knowing their sexing isn't 100% accurate, and also knowing there were some packing peanuts in there, I knew there was a possibility I could end up with a roo or two...(hopefully not more!)

With these two breeds, would their combs be as distinguishable around this time as my leghorns were? I'm thinking I may have gotten lucky, and DO have all girlies here!

Angie

 

[ScoobyRoo]

I just had that conversation today. I was told that the hens develope faster than the roos. I disagreed with that. I just thought that the hens would be more pale/yellow as to where the roos were pink and waddles developing quicker too. I have a BO roo cross with a LH, RIR's, EE's SLW's and Black Aust. We are trying our hand on getting the genders right.

 

[grullablue]

I looked back at our leghorn pics from last spring. I got them on April 3rd at a week old. On April 11th, I had taken pics of the "combs in question" to post on this forum, actually, asking if the differences meant they were roos. I was new to chickens at that time. So...if the development of the combs is about the same with leghorns vs. the two breeds I have now....than I'm hopeful that I DO have all pullets as I was supposed to, and won't have to worry about any roos.

ANgie

 

[Akane]

Hens feather faster than roos but don't grow combs faster. It is breed dependent. With my japanese bantams I can start guessing at 2 weeks and usually know by 4-6 weeks with only the odd surprise. The roos start growing combs early and the hens don't grow any comb until about the time they start laying. With my dark layer mutts they all looked like roos and hatched with large combs that grew quickly then stopped at 8weeks. Only 1 turned out to be a roo. You would have to ask someone that has experience with those exact breeds how quickly and noticeably their combs come in. Some breeds though you can't even tell the difference until they reach laying/crowing age.