Bantam Cochin Chicks

[KayBalor]

Hi guys, my babies are 6 weeks old now, just wondering if anyone could take a guess what gender they are? Thank you!

Chick 1

Chick 2

 

[tn_artist]

I can't find the picture, but we knew our boy was a boy very quickly. In one week, he was tidbiting for the other chicks in the brooder. By three weeks his comb was red and prominent.
I'm guessing yours are pullets.

 

[KayBalor]

Thank you so much for your reply.

Their dad was an obvious boy at their age too but he was in a brooder whereas these babies were with their mum the whole time so I didn't know if that means they'd develop a bit slower!

 

[Wolfefarmyard]

Chick 2 looks a bit like a male possibly, I’m iffy on #1 though.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

At 6 weeks, I'm thinking pullets. Some of them can be sneaky, so I wouldn't say 100% that they're girls yet, but as you observed with their father, all my boys have been VERY obvious sooner than this. I'm not sure because I have very limited experience with broodies raising chicks, but I doubt that would make a difference in development like that... All of mine have been raised by hand in a brooder, so I don't have anything to compare in that regard.

If it offers any reassurance, here's an assortment of male and female bantam Cochins I've raised, all at 6 weeks in these pictures:

Males:




Females, mostly developmentally similar to yours:



These birds are all much older now, so sex is confirmed on all of them.

 

[KayBalor]

At 6 weeks, I'm thinking pullets. Some of them can be sneaky, so I wouldn't say 100% that they're girls yet, but as you observed with their father, all my boys have been VERY obvious sooner than this. I'm not sure because I have very limited experience with broodies raising chicks, but I doubt that would make a difference in development like that... All of mine have been raised by hand in a brooder, so I don't have anything to compare in that regard.

If it offers any reassurance, here's an assortment of male and female bantam Cochins I've raised, all at 6 weeks in these pictures:

Males:

View attachment 1930873 View attachment 1930874 View attachment 1930875 View attachment 1930879 View attachment 1930880


Females, mostly developmentally similar to yours:

View attachment 1930870 View attachment 1930871 View attachment 1930872 View attachment 1930876 View attachment 1930878

These birds are all much older now, so sex is confirmed on all of them.

Thank you for your reply!
They are some beautiful chickens!

 

[KayBalor]

Chick 2 looks a bit like a male possibly, I’m iffy on #1 though.

Thank you for your reply! I'm constantly changing my mind to what they are, I hate this stage

 

[Wolfefarmyard]

Thank you for your reply! I'm constantly changing my mind to what they are, I hate this stage

Ikr! Post more pictures in a few weeks, and I’m sure it will be much easier!

 

[KayBalor]

Thank you for your help everyone. 5 months later and I'm delighted to say that they turned out to be beautiful girls

I've been extremely lucky with my flock, not hatched one male as of yet!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Yay! They are so gorgeous!

That's some luck with your male-to-female ratio, too! Pretty sure I'm sitting at something like 60 or 65 percent males from all the hatches I've recorded.