Barred Rocks?

[Sarah-]

Hello,

I am brand new to chickens and picked up some barred rock pullets about a week ago. The seller said they hatched on April 3.

Before we picked up the barred rock chickens, I committed to adopting a friends cockerel. The new cockerel is now home with us, and is separated in an adjacent pen to the pullets while everyone is adjusting.

I am now questioning if one of our pullets is actually a cockerel. He is lighter in color, bigger in size, and has a bigger comb than the girls. But, I haven’t heard him try to crow yet, and his tail feathers do not look cockerely to me. His legs are also feathered, whereas the girls do not have that trait. Could he be a mixed breed pullet, or does anyone think this is definitely a barred rock cockerel? The bird in question is the lighter colored one in the middle of the photo.

I am hoping to get to the bottom of this before we put the rooster in with the pullets. Obviously, we cannot keep 2 roosters, so one of them will have to go to Freezer Camp.

Thanks for any input!

Sarah

 

[sourland]

The lighter colored bird is a cockerel.

 

[Sarah-]

The lighter colored bird is a cockerel.

Thought so. Thank you!!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Welcome to BYC!

I agree, that's a cockerel.. and not (pure) barred Rock with the feathered legs.. very likely cross breed. (Cuckoo Marans if pure would have white skin)

 

[Sarah-]

The lighter colored bird is a

The lighter colored bird is a cockerel.

Thanks again for replying.

Can I ask- would it be better to keep the cockerel that’s already acclimated to the flock, or the new cockerel? We are hoping to raise chicks some day, to have new egg layers and for meat birds. I’m unsure of his breed, but he is definitely not a barred rock. Is it better to diversify the genetics with an outside bird, or let the sibling birds mate to preserve the desirable traits?

 

[-Chanticleer-]

Hello,

I am brand new to chickens and picked up some barred rock pullets about a week ago. The seller said they hatched on April 3.

Before we picked up the barred rock chickens, I committed to adopting a friends cockerel. The new cockerel is now home with us, and is separated in an adjacent pen to the pullets while everyone is adjusting.

I am now questioning if one of our pullets is actually a cockerel. He is lighter in color, bigger in size, and has a bigger comb than the girls. But, I haven’t heard him try to crow yet, and his tail feathers do not look cockerely to me. His legs are also feathered, whereas the girls do not have that trait. Could he be a mixed breed pullet, or does anyone think this is definitely a barred rock cockerel? The bird in question is the lighter colored one in the middle of the photo.

I am hoping to get to the bottom of this before we put the rooster in with the pullets. Obviously, we cannot keep 2 roosters, so one of them will have to go to Freezer Camp.

Thanks for any input!

Sarah View attachment 3576887

Looks to be a mix of some sort as well. BRs don’t have feathered feet. The light colored one is a cockerel.