Bantam identification?

[Painted Calls]

I do hope we're wrong on the Birchen but I doubt that's the case. Regardless, glad to see an expert chicken tender confirm my novice suspicions. And yes, that SP is adorable. If my daughter would accept it, I'd name him Elvis since his comb sort of twists and flops toward the one side. But she insists on Griffin and it does sort of suit him. Wondering if I'll be able to adopt the boys out...typically, we adopt out or dispatch our LF roos but I can't imagine dispatching a bantam. Way too cute! Do you find it's easier to adopt out bantam roos compared to LF? Assuming you adopt them out at all. If you have the acreage, you might be so blessed as to just keep them all!

Depends. Sometimes I'll hit a dry spell on buyers, but most of the time I have no issues.

 

[renk777]

5 weeks today! Trying to cram this in while kids are at beach with hubby. Here goes! Cherry first...RIR bantam pullet. Small comb...no suspicious pink wattles though wattles are evident. Marked feathering for another thread that I need to reference this thread in. Featherage sort of follows what I noticed on left wing...not so much on right wing. At 4 weeks, the shape seemed more defined so I might have missed my window to compare :/

 

[renk777]

Next, Griffin. Cockerel. He's still our largest bantam chick. Silver Penciled Cochin. Nicer temprament than our other SP cochin. Wing feathering follows direction I'm trying to determine for identifying males. Including pics of foot feathers for another thread I'm pointing back to here as well. I have an arrow pointing to the space present on my males between 2 separate types of feathers. This space is not evident on my pullets. Also, feathers are longer/sweepier on males' feet...more fluffy on pullets.

 

[renk777]

Now, Haze. SP bantam cochin cockerel. Most aggressive chick...bullies our pullets. Slowest to feather. Pink wattles. Foot feathering isn't as long and sweeping as his brother but all the signs are there that he's a roo. Wing feathers follow pattern that I am thinking might indicate roo. Space o. Legs between different feathers is noticeable. My daughter still calls him Hazel. Ugh.

 

[renk777]

Harper. Black Cochin bantam pullet. So soft and fluffy and sweet. As with the other pullets, skull/head appears smaller/thinner in proportion to body than do the boys'. Foot feathering is consistent with other pullets...no visible break between 'floats' & 'duster' I mentioned in other thread. I wish I'd paid more attention to wings and noted if feathers at left of photo are on body or wing. Can't say if she follows roo or pullet pattern. If I get a chance later, I'll grab her and check and update. She's our most feathered bird so she has so many layers of feathers, it's harder to look for the direction of the curve. If there is a correlation between feather curve of upper layers and gender, I suspect it will be evident when specific layers emerge and I can't ascertain now as I have no more young chicks to compare to :/ Wattles are barely visible and comb remains small

 

[renk777]

Max (formerly Mila). Birchen Cochin bantam cockerel. had hoped perhaps my roo gut feeling might be proven wrong but I grow more certain by the day he's a roo. Hence the name change. All signs point to roo aside from his strangely barely-there wattles. Break in feathers in leg area indicates cockerel...as does slow feathering and behavior. Curve of wing layers is total middle-of-the-road. Max and Haze spar often.

 

[renk777]

Marley. Pullet. Still no clue if she's mottled or not. All white tipped feathers are restricted to areas where hatchery quality black birds often have white feathering. Need more time to be certain. Sweet and gentle. Leg/foot feathers are very pullet-esque. Wattles aren't very visible and comb is fairly small. Least feathered out of the pullets but still fairly certain she's a pullet. Feather curve of upper layers of wing feathers does seem to indicate pullet

 

[renk777]

And last but never least, Willa...aka Super Peep. Barred Cochin bantam pullet. 3rd most feathered... small comb, barely existant wattles, and still won't stand for a photo! Feathering on legs and curve of wing feathers indicative of pullet (if my theory is correct). So it looks as though I have 4 pullets and 3 cockerels. So excited that my pullets aren't all identical but disappointed that I got birchen and SP in the mix and they're all boys! Still hoping one of the boys might surprise me and be a pullet but I highly doubt it. Guess I'll just need a round 2 next year!

 

[renk777]

To simplify feather theory, here goes...pullets' feathers in upper layer of wings get longer towards body....angling down towards body. Males seem to have longer feathers in upper layers toward outer wing with shorter feathers near body...so angling upward towards body.

 

[Painted Calls]

At this point I believe Marley is a cockerel.

Griffin is so stinking cute.