At 6 weeks old, can you tell a roo from a hen?

[Granolamom]

My good friend, who I have gotten hooked on chickens (I'm proud to say...), is going to pick up 3 more BO chicks this weekend.
She lives in a subdivision, and cannot have any roosters, but the seller told her, he can tell the difference between a 6-week old BO rooster, or a hen.
Is that believable? I really don't want her to end up with accidental roos, because that will cause her family a lot of heartache.

 

[tazcat70]

I usually can. Some breeds are harder than others, but usually by 6 weeks a roos comb will be larger and redder and you will see the wattles.

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

Quote:
Yes, I would believe him. For example, look at these pictures. These are Blue / Black / Splash Orpingtons I hatched from SpeckledHen's eggs and they are almost 7 weeks.

The picture of the Dark Blue, far left, is a Roo, the picture with the two are hens. Notice the Boy has Wattles forming already. His comb is much bigger and more red. He also carries himself differently from the hens. However sometimes, they can fool you. Look at this next pictures.

This one, has a larger comb and it is more red and it carries itself like a Roo, however, thera are no wattles as of this picture. So I would not sell this one as a definite either way. I still think it is a Roo, but I make sure the purchaser realizes that they may end up with a hen.

 

[gritsar]

If you have more than one chick of the same breed it's fairly easy to tell the difference between the cockerels and the pullets at 6 weeks. (Unless its one of those strange breeds like silkies

)