Barred Rock Sexing

[Tigerkity]

Hello everyone!

I apparently joined a trend of buying chicks during all this COVID stuff. I have been wanting some and the desire to be more self sufficient finally pushed me to get some.

I got 4 chicks from Tractor Supply, two of them should be barred rocks. They are in their second week of life. They are my Apocalypse Chickens so their names reflect the four henchmen of the apocalypse.

I am starting to worry one of them is male and just want to get some other eyes for opinions.

Chick 1 Plague: this is the one I am worried is male

Chick 2 Famine: I believe she is female but correct me if I am wrong.

Thanks in advance and I cannot wait to get more involved in this community!

 

[mowin]

Way to early for me to tell. Hopefully someone else with more knowledge will chime in.

 

[Tigerkity]

Way to early for me to tell. Hopefully someone else with more knowledge will chime in.

Thanks, yeah I know it might be too early. I got concerned when I learned that a male is lighter and has more white bands. That's how I was telling my two Barred Rocks apart, one is lighter than the other.
I can't keep roosters in my city so if Plague is a boy then I need to start making a plan.

 

[wilkinsfarm2020]

I'm seeing one cockerel 1 pullet. Plague is definitely a boy

 

[Tigerkity]

I'm seeing one cockerel 1 pullet. Plague is definitely a boy

Oh nooooooo! I love him already though!!! How sure are you?

 

[wilkinsfarm2020]

Boys have more white in the barring then females.
So in females you'll see tons of black.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Thanks, yeah I know it might be too early.

Not too early in THIS case...

First chick is cockerel. Second chick is pullet...

In barred breeds the sons get an extra does of the barring gene for their dame... or something to that effect and it causes the white bars to be double wide on males and not in females.

He also has huge legs in comparison to his sister.

Start making your plan. I am 100% sure.

 

[Tigerkity]

Start making your plan. I am 100% sure.

That's unfortunate, well, I have suspected it. I didn't want to be right though! Thanks to all my new chicken friends

 

[Tigerkity]

Is it possible Plague is a different breed? Though it was Cornish Cross, Black Sex Link and Barred Rocks in the bin so that doesn't help my case since Black Sex Link Females don't have the white spot.

I know, I am grasping at straws here...

 

[NatJ]

Is it possible Plague is a different breed? Though it was Cornish Cross, Black Sex Link and Barred Rocks in the bin so that doesn't help my case since Black Sex Link Females don't have the white spot.

I know, I am grasping at straws here...

Tractor Supply is rather well known for having wrong labels on the bin, or wrong chicks in the bins, so those labels don't mean much.

Darker barring can be female (Barred Rock) or a hybrid male (Black Sexlink males have the darker barring pattern, while the females are black with no barring.)

But lighter barring means male in ANY breed.

Sorry, no straws to grasp here.