Are they all girls?

[Vian]

I bought all four of them as pullets. They're 12 weeks old today, Rhode Island Reds. They're just starting to get their combs and waddles. One has a slightly bigger comb than the rest. None of them has especially thick legs, and all of them have the same plumage more or less. One has a little more black on the feathers on her chest. Also, they're all very close to the same size. Is it still too early to tell?

 

[HEChicken]

Can you get side body shots? It is so hard to tell with only a partial picture (i.e. the head). The pic in number 3, the comb/wattles don't look boyish but the feathering does. It could just be the lighting. A side body shot would clear that up.

 

[Vian]

These aren't very good, they were trying to go to bed. I'll try and get better ones tomorrow.

 

[junebuggena]

Those look like girls to me.

 

[cypressdrake]

On the first post the first 3 are pullets. The fourth pic down is a rooster, and getting a red comb. It's just starting but it will get much redder with time. A young pullet will not get red wattles and comb until they start to lay.

 

[BantamLover21]

They all look like pullets to me, too.

 

[Wyandottes7]

Pullets.

 

[HEChicken]

I think I'm seeing pointy hackle and saddle feathers on at least one of those in the all body shots. I wonder if its the same one with the different feather coloring from the first set of pics.

Tell-tale signs of cockerels at this age will be that the feathers will look a different color and sometimes seem more vivid in color and shinier. Pullets feathers will be an overall uniform color and duller. Around the neck and in front of the tail, they will be thinner and pointier. Also, if one or two of the tail feathers starts to get longer and a little curved, rather than the tail staying a fan shape, that would be significant.

 

[bigbruce]

Pic 3 May be a roo

 

[Vian]

In the first set of pics, the third one, the difference in color is due to lighting. In person they are all the exact same color, except one (and not the one in that picture) has a little more black in the feathers on the chest. They're also a little dirty because I feed them fermented feed and they fling it all over themselves when they eat, which makes some of their feathers on their heads look darker.

I don't remember at what age my old RIR developed a comb and waddles, but she did have them. They were much smaller than a roo's, but she still had a red comb and waddles.