bantam cochins - i think i got messed with :( (pics, need help!)

[technodoll]

I just had these two pretty babies delivered from a guy (online ad) who lives quite far but was driving by here on his way to the next province, so it was convenient for me. We had a chat on the phone, he sounded like a nice guy and all. He had some partridge bantam cochins, $10 each, all sounds perfect!

I SPECIFICALLY said I wanted pullets, which he guaranteed both were.

He also said they were about 3 months old, which is the age I wanted.

I see these teeny tiny things and:

A) there is no way these tiny babies are near 3 months of age, barely 8 weeks if I know anything about chickens??

I took them anyways as he wasn't driving back home, what was I to do?

B) i am 95% sure one of them is a BOY!! Oh I am so

Could you please confirm my suspicions? They are both clean, seem healthy but boy are they shy and skittish

How old do you think they are? Look how tiny they are!

I'm sure Kiwi is a girl:

And I'm pretty sure Mango is a boy - neck feathers are black, comb and wattles already pronounced and quite dark pink... I can't keep any more boys!!

Suspected boy, Mango, on the left:

I'm so upset!! Now what???

 

[Break an Egg]

Mango may not be a boy, I gave a bantam cochin roo away the other day that was tiny and not feathering. He was all comb and wattles. I bet Mango could still be a pullet.

 

[technodoll]

Quote:
Do you think they really are close to 12 weeks old though?

The guy said he had 5 chicks: two were definite girls, one was a definite boy, and two he wasn't sure of so he was holding on to them for a bit longer. He sold me the two definite girls. Am I just freaking out for nothing? Can sisters look so different in feathering and comb/wattles?

 

[Break an Egg]

Quote:
Do you think they really are close to 12 weeks old though?

The guy said he had 5 chicks: two were definite girls, one was a definite boy, and two he wasn't sure of so he was holding on to them for a bit longer. He sold me the two definite girls. Am I just freaking out for nothing? Can sisters look so different in feathering and comb/wattles?

The little roo I gave away was tiny, smaller than a pair of OEGB's that were one week older than him. While the OEGB's had been fully feathered for atleast 3 weeks, the roo was patchy and still had down on his head. I'd like to say that those two could be maybe 10 weeks old, I don't know about 12 weeks.

 

[HBuehler]

I have some 3 month old bantam cochins that small.They are in with my 4-6 week old lF chicks and they are the small ones.When they hatched they were smaller than my thumb...we also have some bantam cochins a bit bigger but it's my tiny ones everyone "flocks" to

 

[technodoll]

so... if they ARE about 10-11 weeks old... would Mango have a bigger comb/wattles if he was a boy?

 

[Break an Egg]

Quote:
I think so, all the cochin roos I've started got their comb and wattles before all their feathers.

 

[High Roost Ranch]

It's a pair, Mango is a cockerel and Kiwi is a pullet. These may be smaller than normal cochin bantams. Perhaps the guy isn't that good at sexing them??? At least you didn't end up with TWO cockerels, now you can at least make more partridge cochins... *dunno*

 

[pbjmaker]

I see a pair and they are not 3 months old. I am guessing more like 8 weeks.

 

[technodoll]

Quote:
OK that is what I thought... dang it!!!

I guess being on this forum for so long has taught me a thing or two on sexing chicks....

I'll contact the guy, ask when he's back home (he went on vacation) and what he will do to fix this.

I am sooo upset - WHY am I always cursed with cockerels???