Backyard Brahmas!!

[sherrya]

Thank you for the information and pictures. I hatched a Gold Laced Brahma that resembles the hen in your picture. Hopefully this spring, I can find and keep alive a Silver Laced rooster.

 

[Easter Chicks]

Hi, I have a couple blue partridge Brahmas that hatched last spring. For the longest time, we were unsure of their gender, then assumed they were hens, as they sort of had the partridge feathering as chicks. But now, we're suspecting rooster because mainly of their colouring and possible saddle feathers.
They do not act like roosters; they are so lazy, they really just sit there or run away, haha. You'd think that they'd be crowing by now, but they're large birds and develop slowly, so who knows? They haven't started laying, but they hatched late and it's finally cold, here in Canada.
Any thoughts? I'll start off with how they look currently, and show pictures from further back.

See, it does look like saddle feathers, but I'm in denial right now since I've been seeing them as hens for the past six or so months.

From a little while ago

See, I thought it looked like lacing...

Sorry for all the pictures! It's an excuse to show off my beautiful babies.

 

[PhipN FarmGirl]

I can't see any pictures, will try again tomorrow. : )

 

[newmarch2014]

Easter Chicks, your pictures are not showing up. However I will tell you that my Light Brahma rooster hatched in March of this past spring was undoubtedly a rooster in anyones mind by 14 weeks even in denial and yes he runs from me too. do you have other chickens to compare them to or are they your only 2? The roosters have much more pronounced wattles and comb, by now the spurs should be starting to grow (the claws that come in a little higher than the feet on the inside of the leg) . Other than those indicators, if you have a confirmed hen to compare them to the legs are usually much much thicker, The saddle feathers are by now very pronounced see the saddle feathers which are the pointy feathers in front of the round tail feathers. Also note the irridescent tail feathers with a lot of green in them in the sun...my hen has only black in her tail. also see his neck feathers, they are long and thin and pointy where hers are more rounded.As a side note, she just started giving me eggs about 10 days ago I think it was so if yours are not laying yet that would not be unusual if they are hens but I would think that one of them would have started to show some rooster dominant traits like crowing by now.

 

[Easter Chicks]

Easter Chicks, your pictures are not showing up. However I will tell you that my Light Brahma rooster hatched in March of this past spring was undoubtedly a rooster in anyones mind by 14 weeks even in denial and yes he runs from me too. do you have other chickens to compare them to or are they your only 2? The roosters have much more pronounced wattles and comb, by now the spurs should be starting to grow (the claws that come in a little higher than the feet on the inside of the leg) . Other than those indicators, if you have a confirmed hen to compare them to the legs are usually much much thicker, The saddle feathers are by now very pronounced see the saddle feathers which are the pointy feathers in front of the round tail feathers. Also note the irridescent tail feathers with a lot of green in them in the sun...my hen has only black in her tail. also see his neck feathers, they are long and thin and pointy where hers are more rounded.As a side note, she just started giving me eggs about 10 days ago I think it was so if yours are not laying yet that would not be unusual if they are hens but I would think that one of them would have started to show some rooster dominant traits like crowing by now.

Hmm, that's odd. They're showing up for me. I'll try again with different links.
See, we had ten other chickens, three from a first batch and seven from the same batch as these two. From the first batch, one was undoubtedly a rooster from day one and the other hens. From the second batch, there were quite a few, one in particular, we thought were males. Unfortunately, they were all killed by possibly a fox and so these are our only two left (hence why we want them to be hens, haha.)
Yes, one of them has very iridescent feathers and I am very sure saddle feathers. Here, I'll see if I can get the pictures working.

 

[Easter Chicks]

Alright, trying again. Although, we're pretty much certain that they're roosters.
Also, these photos aren't in order; the more recent pictures are near the bottom.

 

[newmarch2014]

I am not as experienced with Brahmas (though I have the 2) but yes they look like roosters to me....but still young.....how old are they?

 

[TreeTree411]

The last five pictures look like roo's to me.

 

[Easter Chicks]

Yes, I think that's what we're settling on, unfortunately. Thank you .

 

[Easter Chicks]

I am not as experienced with Brahmas (though I have the 2) but yes they look like roosters to me....but still young.....how old are they?

They hatched early June, so about seven months now.