Barred Rock - hen or rooster? RESULT = HEN

**** And the result - a hen. Somewhat scrawny and inclined to peck, but a hen. ***

Here are some photos of my barred rock at age 8 weeks, and also at age 3 weeks. I have two barred rocks.

One of them is clearly a pullet. Fortunately she is my favorite chicken, and the feeling seems to be mutual as she is very friendly to me. Also a good forager, you should see her chase the mosquitos in the yard -- will make a person dizzy!

Then there's this other one (in the photos). Even at age 3 weeks, a larger comb. Now, at 8 weeks, the comb is bigger than the pullet's, but still not huge. This chicken tends to peck me. Walks fairly upright. The tail is not that different than the pullet's. The comb has been gradually getting redder, but hasn't been growing as much as I thought it would when it showed up early on.

The chick has a black splash on the feet - it is just a little lighter than the pullet's. When the chicks were small I didn't know (yet) to look for the way the white spot on the head is shaped, but from these photos, the two chicks look fairly similar. The chick is just a little whiter overall than the pullet, but not much.

Opinions?

At three weeks - the questionable chick is closer to the feeder.




At eight weeks

 

Well, lurky, mine is only 2 months and the comb looks almost as big as yours. I guess time will tell.

If he is a rooster, then I am either going to:

A) Eat him, or
B) Stop eating chicken.

Fortunately, I don't LIKE him. However, it does seem like he and the pullet like each other, and so I'll only feel a little bad for her. I don't think I could eat the pullet.

 

Thanks for the opinions!

I think this one is either a girly-boy or a boyish-girl... In any case, it's reassuring that there's mixed opinions, here, too. I go back and forth about it myself ever day or so!