Are my babies hens or roosters?

[chickens45]

Hello! I am new here and recently was randomly given 3 little baby chicks! I was given no information on what breed they are or gender. I’ve been researching how to tell if they are hens or roosters and here is what I think so far..

I think two of them are barred Plymouth Rocks and are roosters. The yellow one is production red and I’m not sure what it is yet.

I know this photo isn’t that great but I thought I’d share and see what everyone thinks just based on their color. From what I understand the lighter Plymouth rocks are male?

I’m really sad because I was hoping they’d be hens. I'm so attached to them now that it’s going to be hard to give my babies away I don’t even know who to give them to or who would want roosters.
I’m having so much fun with them. I’ve had them for a few weeks and have a blast playing with them and just tending to them.

I’m so sad that they’re roosters and will get mean later on!!

 

[ChocolateWingTheRooster]

You seem to have a cockerel there, but we will need better pictures. Especially of the combs and backs, separated from one another.

Also, young roosters and hens should be called cockerels and pullets.

Edit: as a side note, not all roosters are mean! Some just are mean due to hormones and/or fear. It’s hereditary as well.

 

[Chickin Out]

I’m really sad because I was hoping they’d be hens. I'm so attached to them now that it’s going to be hard to give my babies away I don’t even know who to give them to or who would want roosters.
I’m having so much fun with them. I’ve had them for a few weeks and have a blast playing with them and just tending to them.

I’m so sad that they’re roosters and will get mean later on!!

So I need a better picture to tell you anything about the gender. Honestly it's really too soon to tell for sure, but you can usually hazard a guess around this age, and most of the time be right.
The main reason I'm replying to this is because something you said has struck me as a misconception and a strange one at that.
So you said in your first post that your roosters will get mean later on.
as a person who has raised many roosters, I just want to tell you, that being a rooster has nothing to do with being mean. Yes, some people's roosters do get mean but that is more about how they are raised and treated than about what gender they are. Some of my nicest chickens are the roosters. whenever I meet somebody who expresses shocked at how nice my roosters are, I always think they must not have spent much time around chickens, or the ones they spent time around were badly treated. Nine times out of 10, if you would treat your roosters well and continue to socialize them as babies and as adults, they will be super nice when they grow up.

 

[chickens45]

So I need a better picture to tell you anything about the gender. Honestly it's really too soon to tell for sure, but you can usually hazard a guess around this age, and most of the time be right.
The main reason I'm replying to this is because something you said has struck me as a misconception and a strange one at that.
So you said in your first post that your roosters will get mean later on.
as a person who has raised many roosters, I just want to tell you, that being a rooster has nothing to do with being mean. Yes, some people's roosters do get mean but that is more about how they are raised and treated than about what gender they are. Some of my nicest chickens are the roosters. whenever I meet somebody who expresses shocked at how nice my roosters are, I always think they must not have spent much time around chickens, or the ones they spent time around were badly treated. Nine times out of 10, if you would treat your roosters well as babies and as adults, they will be super nice when they grow up.

like I said I’m new to this and my only experience with roosters are with my grandparents roosters who were mean and scary when I was a child. I guess I’ve bought into the stigma surrounding roosters that they are aggressive and mean. I’ve also heard stories they get aggressive to hens and was afraid. That’s awesome to hear that they can be so nice and tame!
Either way I can’t keep the roosters.. my neighbors wouldn’t like the noise.

 

[Chickin Out]

like I said I’m new to this and my only experience with roosters are with my grandparents roosters who were mean and scary when I was a child. I guess I’ve bought into the stigma surrounding roosters that they are aggressive and mean. I’ve also heard stories they get aggressive to hens and was afraid. That’s awesome to hear that they can be so nice and tame!
Either way I can’t keep the roosters.. my neighbors wouldn’t like the noise.

I have to be honest with you here. All chickens are going to make noise, hens included. There is something called a No-crow collar for roosters. It is a small Velcro collar device that prevents them from growing. Full disclosure I allow my roosters to crow and only let them wear the collar in extreme circumstances for maybe one day at most. That said, a collar is a better alternative than being given away because again, being honest with you, 98 out of a hundred people who are willing to take a rooster are going to kill it, one way or another, whether it be to eat, to train a dog to kill, in a cockfighting ring, Etc.
Just speaking from my heart and my personal experience, my animals and my responsibility to them are more important to me than any neighbor. The way I see it, I have to put up with their annoying loud motorcycles, shooting off fireworks for two or three months during the summer, barking dogs, stupid loud kids, Etc. My roosters are pretty much the only noise we make, and I find it preferable to all of the other noises.
All of that said, I don't want to discourage you from trying to find those two people out of a hundred who would be a good home for the roosters.

 

[chickens45]

Here are some better photos. 2 black ones and one yellow one. I think they are all roosters? But I’m no expert!

 

[Chickin Out]

Most likely, from the looks of it. Still too soon to tell for certain. Have to wait for saddle feathers to come in. 3 boys can all live together quite happily if raised together and no hens around to fight over.
Just a heads up, free chicks are usually roosters...
Adorable babies.

 

[chickens45]

Most likely, from the looks of it. Still too soon to tell for certain. Have to wait for saddle feathers to come in. 3 boys can all live together quite happily if raised together and no hens around to fight over.
Just a heads up, free chicks are usually roosters...
Adorable babies.

Thank you! They are adorable!!! I might just keep them! I just hope they stay cute and sweet when they grow up

I really wanted hens for the eggs. I guess I’ll have to try to get some now. I had no idea chickens were so fun to raise lol

 

[Chickin Out]

Thank you! They are adorable!!! I might just keep them! I just hope they stay cute and sweet when they grow up

I really wanted hens for the eggs. I guess I’ll have to try to get some now. I had no idea chickens were so fun to raise lol

Just keep on handling them, spending time and socializing them. Some roosters go through a nasty spell as teenagers when puberty hits, but not all do. If they do, don't give up, it usually passes. Sometimes they are trying to tell you something. My rooster, Beauty, now 5 years old, randomly started attacking me when he was around 2 or 3. This was wholly out of character for beauty, who was always a very nice boy and been treated as a pet. I wasn't sure what was going on, but then I realized a rat was getting in. Beauty was attacking anyone he considered an intruder because he was on high alert about the rat. Once the rat was prevented from entering, Beauty returned to his normal sweet self.

Chickens are a lot of fun (and work).
Two things...If you do decide to get hens, you will likely have to separate hens from the roosters. Proper rooster to hen ratio is at least 10 hens per rooster. If you had 10 or more, you could put 1 rooster with them, but you would have to separate the other 2. Second thing is check the ordinances in your area to see how many chickens are permitted if you don't already know. It will help in planning your flock.

 

[chickens45]

Hey guys here are some more recent photos of my chicks. I’m wondering what you think now? I kind of think the black ones are roosters. 1 is for sure but not sure about 2. And 3 I think is a hen?