Barred Brahma

[lazypifarm]

Hi guys,

I'm normally pretty good at sexing young chickens, but this one is eluding me. He/she is about 3 months old, half grown. I haven't seen any sign of hackle or saddle feathers. It's a barnyard mix with mostly light Brahma blood. That's where the feathers come from. It looks like a pea comb, which would be right for a Brahma. What do you think? I tried to get a better picture, but I couldn't catch it last night; this was the best shot I got! If it's inconclusive, I can try to get a better shot tonight when they coop up. Maybe treats will do the trick. Thank you!

 

[Wyandottes7]

He's a cockerel, in my opinion. In barred breeds/barred breed mixes, males are almost always lighter in color. Females are a darker color. His comb, face, and wattles are quite red as well, another indication of a rooster. You probably won't start seeing saddle or hackle feathers until he is five months old or so.

 

[BantamLover21]

Yes, I would say that is a cockerel. That is based on coloring (male barred birds are typically lighter than females), the red comb, face, and wattles, and the thickness of the legs. But I'm not 100% sure of its gender, so I would wait and see. Post new photos in a few weeks; by then, its gender should be more obvious.

I agree with you in that it has some Brahma blood in it.

 

[donrae]

Probably cockerel, but I'm just not sure. Thing is, you can only go by the lighter/darker coloring in pure barred roosters. Once you get a mix, that's not necessarily accurate. It would help to know what momma and dad are, basically to know if it's a sex link. If momma was barred and dad wasn't, then it's a cockerel.