Approximate age and sex

[Katz5617]

Okay I have a two fold question. I bought the chicks three weeks ago. I went with the intention of getting older chicks but none were available. She got these out of a house and they were in a lighted/heated box. I told her I didn't have anything other than a coop built and she told me they were four weeks and with the warm temps it would be okay to put them in the coop. Still I was a bit unsure so I kept them in the house for three days in a kennel and would cover the kennel with a blanket to keep it warm but would take them out several times a day and let them down in the pen to run around. After three days of taking them out for an hour or so at a time I put them out for the day and gathered them up and put them in the coop that night - they did fine. They've been outside now for three days shy of three weeks. If they were four weeks old when I got them that should put them around seven weeks. Looking at pictures of 7 week old Barred Rocks - these chicks don't appear that old to me. They still have that fuzzy look around the head and neck with feathers around the tush and wings. The BR and the BO are the smallest. The Rhode Island Reds are much larger and seem much further along with feather development. They were larger than the other two when I got them. The following week I purchased a second Barred Rock and was told she was a week younger, but she is not half the size of the others. That said does this appear to be a seven week old chick. Next I tried to take photos of the comb, the legs and the wings - does this appear to be male or female. The wings to me appear more blunt, but it does have the black to the front of the legs. It does have a bit of a comb growing, but nothing that seems so pronounced, then again, I am not sure they are as old as I am estimating. So male or female and age if anyone has an estimate or opinion -

 

[rc4u]

they look more like 5 weeks old to me...and if thats the same chick in all pics looks like hen as longer wing and tail feathers...jeff

 

[Katz5617]

I am inclined to agree that they are more like 5 - 6 weeks at the most. When I purchased them the lady took them from a lighted/heated box, but told me they were ready to go out - they were four weeks old. Well I know nothing about baby chicks. I had wanted to begin with something 8-12 weeks old and not go through the baby stage. I have had them at my house for three weeks, but after looking at pictures of 7 week chicks these didn't look that mature. All of the others have tail feathers that are an inch or two longer than this one, that's why I wondered if it was male. The RIRs have all lost their down and are completely feathered as well as the Cochin, but the BR and Buff still have this bit of fluff.