Are they all roosters?

[nikchick]

These three chicks are all supposed to be black sex links (BR mom/RIR dad, but brooded by a black sumatra). They all have white dots on their heads and I know that is supposed to be an auto sexing feature, but one chick is not like the others. The others are developing cones that are already turning red. They also have solid black faces. The third chick has a cream colored face and no cone development. It's barring pattern also seemes to be different from the other two. Could it be a hen?

 

[GitaBooks]

Its possible that it could be a hen. Could you post a closer-up picture of her?

 

[nikchick]

I'll try. Mom isn't too happy with me getting too close to her chickies.

 

[GitaBooks]

I'll try. Mom isn't too happy with me getting too close to her chickies.

Yeah, I've got a momma hen who chases anything that she thinks is a threat. Dog, cat, person, another chicken. Anything.

 

[nikchick]

This is the best I could get. (Excuse their living situation. Mom kept kicking out all of the bedding). You can only see two of the three, but the third looks just like the solid black faced chick in the picture. The one closest to the front is the one that is different.

 

[GitaBooks]

I think they are all roosters, just that one got is expressing different genetics. That can happen in cross-breeding.

Your momma hen is a pretty girl. I love the black comb.

 

[nikchick]

I figured that might be what caused it, but wasn't sure.

We think she is a pretty girl, too. Her name is Dumpling and she was the first chicken we purchased. I wish her eggs would have made it to hatch day, but it wasn't meant to be. Maybe next time.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

If your certain the father was a red bird and mother barred then any bird with white dot on head at hatch is male. As they grow they will get barring. Only the males are barred from that cross. Pullets from that cross don't have white dot at hatch and will grow black with red leakage on hackles and chest.

 

[donrae]

If your certain the father was a red bird and mother barred then any bird with white dot on head at hatch is male. As they grow they will get barring. Only the males are barred from that cross. Pullets from that cross don't have white dot at hatch and will grow black with red leakage on hackles and chest.

Second this. you can't argue with genetics, if the parents are in fact known.

 

[nikchick]

I'm certain. At the time of lay, the only rooster that was mature enough was my red rooster.

Here are the biological parents of the chicks.