Barred Rock Mix Chicks - 3.5 weeks old - added pictures

[Grindlefamily]

IF you have a guess boy/girl please let me know!

#1 front view - worried it's a boy barred rock dad ?? mom

#1 side view

#2 Front view worried it's a boy - barred rock dad ?? mom

#2 side view

#3 hoping pullet - believe to be a barred rock (dad) and white leghorn mom

thanks!

 

[speckledhen]

Cant tell from the pics, too close up, not enough natural daylight. The last one, if it has no barring, most likely is not fathered by a Barred Rock roo, who passes barring to all his chicks in one form or another.

 

[Grindlefamily]

The people I received the chicks from only had a barred rock roo - as for natural light, I was sitting next to the window - the two black ones seem to have more pink in their combs already.

Louella

 

[speckledhen]

The combs are not the thing with Barred Rocks, at least at first. Males look more silvery-gray than black due to wider white bars than females. Usually, the females will have very dark leg fronts, but not always. I'm sorry, but I just cant see the body color in the light. #2 looks like a boy, but I can't tell the others.
The light source needs to be behind the camera for light enough to sex some of these birds that can be color-sexed. I think that's the problem, that the light was beside or behind the chick. or just take the babies outside in the sunlight for a couple of minutes.

 

[Grindlefamily]

They are also a mix - so doesn't that throw a wrench in the whole color piece? LOL I'll keep them growing and see how they are looking in a couple more weeks. Thanks so much.

Louella

 

[speckledhen]

Yes, to a degree, them being mixed could change things. Even when they aren't mixed, they can fool you!

 

[Grindlefamily]

okay - I turned us around and took another picture - not sure it will help - they appear pretty dark to me - not much light feathering (yet anyway),

#1 - br dad - ?? mom

#2 - has puffy cheeks - I believe it hatched from a green ee egg

#3 - the white leghorn/ br mix

 

[speckledhen]

Hmm, hard to say. I think #1 is a cockerel now that I see the barring, but honestly, with the mix, the color cues may not work so well. I have a Barred Rock over Blue Ameraucana baby. She has a pea comb like her mother and lacing on the edges of the feathers sort of like barring, but not distinct. Your puffy cheeked baby seems girly to me at this point. Believe me, I know how hard it is to get pics of these when they are so little. My bsmt lighting is terrible and so is my camera.
Cant tell on the Leghorn mix. One clue is the legs. Thick legs on one chick and thinner on another of the same breed will tell you which is the boy-cockerels usually have thick legs.

 

[peruvian_princess]

Is the leg thing correct even for week old chicks? My RIR chicks are about 10 days old and I notice that a few have thicker legs than the others is this 100% accurate? Also my EE pullets from the feed store some have thicker legs and now i am beggining to wonder. I hope I am not out of line asking on your post.

 

[Grindlefamily]

I have an older EE, her legs are thicker than her sister (BO) but all the pictures I have taken and posted here they say girl - so I am still hoping.

Louella