Barnies: roosters vs pullets?????

mediazeal

Songster
10 Years
Feb 26, 2009
1,476
35
181
I hatched out 5 Barnevelders. They are 6 weeks old late this week.
It looks to me like I have more roosters than pullet(s). And, it's hard to tell which one is which as they race around the brooder to get away from the flash. There are 8 pics but only 5 barnies.
Can you pick out which you think are cockerels and which might be pullets? Are they all cockerels? And that's why it's hard to pick a pullet out of the bunch?

I think Exhibit A is a pullet, comb is getting red but not as big as the others. She also feathered out faster. The 3 with blue circles I'm pretty sure are cockerels (Exhibits B, D and E)
Exhibit C might be a pullet......... no idea.

They all seemed to have the little bare patch on their wingbows early on, as if they were flying into the wire lid. This made me thing they were all boys too.

All 5 Barnies and a few Golden Penciled Hamburgs (they are small chickens)
exhibits.jpg


Click here to see the this image HUGE

Barnie 1 - Exhibit C
6barnie1.jpg


Barnie 2 - Exhibit E
6barnie2.jpg


Barnie 3 - Exhibit D
6barnie3.jpg


Barnie 4 - Exhibit ?
6barnie4.jpg


Barnie 5 - Exhibit B or E
6barnie5.jpg


Barnie 6 - Exhibit D
6barnie6.jpg


Barnie 7 - Exhibit B
6barnie7.jpg


Barnie 8 - Exhibit E
6barnie9.jpg
 
Last edited:
2,4,5,7,8,9 kind look like they have really big red combs for their age so my guess is Roo, but that's just my guess. I'm as good at guessing roo's as I am picking the winning lottery numbers.
 
I hatched out 13 barnies. It depends on which line you have, but here are several different ways to try and sex them (so I've been told) I guessed 5 roos and 8 pullets at 3 weeks and I was right.

Here's some tips I was told:

Males-

Feathering:short even wing feathers, almost no back feathers and short tail feathers. Last to fully feather out

Body type: Blocky, and shorter backed, upright stance. holds tail more upright

Color: once feathered - solid black breast (at least with my lines) and no lacing in the tail.

Comb- obviously red by 4 weeks

Pullets-

Feathering: first to feather, long wing feathers almost to tail or past tail, long tail and first to get full back feathers.

Body: longer, less upright stance, generally holds tail lower

Color: once feathered- lacing showing in breast and tail feathers

Comb: still very pale or yellowish at 4 weeks

I hope this helps you
 
The combs on your chicks are bigger and redder than the ones my barnevelders had. The legs on some of your chicks seem thick too - do the ones with the larger combs have thicker legs than the others or are they all the same thickness?

7-8 weeks old:
19548_barnevelders.jpg


11 weeks old:
19548_barnevelder2.jpg
 
Quote:
Ahh, thanks very much for the pictures. Your birds are beautiful!!
it supports the theory that mine might all be boys
I have been watching the legs and they all have thick legs
4 are not as feathered out yet with roostery behavior (chest bumping, whistling, extended necks as they look at each other, eyeing the sky)
1 feathered out earlier, keeps the tail feathers lower (longer tail), has the smallest but still red comb, so I have been thinking that might be a pullet but worried it is a cockerel also.
Looking at your pics I think I have 5 boys.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom