Barred Rock 15 Weeks - Roo or Hen?

[dl9976]

Most definitely a roo!

 

[aoxa]

Well, there is a slight issue with the true heritage ones, that is true, but 99% of folks asking about them don't have those. Even my Stukel Rocks are not that hard to sex just going on leg color alone, without considering the head spot, but not all heritage lines may be like that.

Yes, I was able to sex my lower quality birds by leg colour alone as well. My first hatched chick was from 'hatchery quality' (though they didn't come from a hatchery persay) and before she even dried I said.. Yep.. Girl.

Here is Twerkie now. First chick to ever hatch from my chickens. At least by me.

To the right. She did have a really small dot on her head. So that in combination with the the dark legs, I was really confident. She was the only one I kept. Her mother is a prolific layer, so she will do well with the RSL group.

 

[speckledhen]

Here is a Marvin Stukel heritage pullet. You can see that I was able to sex these by leg color fairly well, even at just two weeks old. By head spots? Forget it! No way with these.

 

[aoxa]

Here is a Marvin Stukel heritage pullet. You can see that I was able to sex these by leg color fairly well, even at just two weeks old. By head spots? Forget it! No way with these.

Nice example I had a really tough time with Derek Fulton lines. My best boy out of those five had dark wash and his barring is darker than his brothers. He is really pretty so far, but is still very young.

Finally found a half decent picture showing the wash down his legs. It has faded for sure by now.

Now. He just started crowing, and is actually mating my full grown hens without issues. Never witnessed a cockerel that young mate that flawlessly! ETA: He is 15 weeks old.

 

[newbiechix]

Thanks everyone! I'm so disappointed that it looks like I have so many roosters. I started with 12 chickens, and if everyone is correct, I'll have only 3 hens. :-( Apparently I am the worst at picking out the ladies when the chicks are little, but I didn't know any of the signs to look for. Glad for the learning opportunity, but now I have a coop full of roosters that need to find new homes. Anyone want them????

 

[aoxa]

Thanks everyone!  I'm so disappointed that it looks like I have so many roosters.  I started with 12 chickens, and if everyone is correct, I'll have only 3 hens.  :-(  Apparently I am the worst at picking out the ladies when the chicks are little, but I didn't know any of the signs to look for.  Glad for the learning opportunity, but now I have a coop full of roosters that need to find new homes.  Anyone want them????

What age did you get them at?

Hopefully it was just bad luck, and not the breeder's doing.

 

[newbiechix]

I got most of them when they were under a week old, so perhaps it's just bad choosing on my part.

 

[aoxa]

I got most of them when they were under a week old, so perhaps it's just bad choosing on my part. 

I'm sorry to hear that Maybe next time it will be easier? Try to get breeds that are easier to sex by colour at a day old (ie: barred rocks or sex-links). Or even better: Get them from a hatchery. They vent sex them and there is a low error margin. Something like 10%.

 

[Dayala]

So we’re they roosters?

 

[nuthatched]

So we’re they roosters?

This thread is 10 years old, my friend. Those were roosters, yes.