What was it about winter that made them gone in an instant if you don't mind sharing, I might learn something. Thank you
x2Hi, welcome to BYC!
Sometimes they hate to be held because their pin feathers hurt a little. The boys tend to be more looking at you all the time and always watching what you are doing. They are *usually* more confident and easier to approach as chicks in my experience.
Too early for me to tell without seeing behavior and all. But nice long tails early isn't an indicater of cockerel... actually every now and then I get a chick that has NO tail show up for a while and those are ALWAYS boys! The short tail has never lied to me yet.
I have 2 Australorp pullets that both had me wondering by waddles and combs if they were cockerels. Alas both were not. Yay!
Give it time and post again in a couple more weeks. Behavior is a good indicater. Young cockerels will often run around pecking brood mates to set dominance early on.
I am sorry for the loss of your girls.
Come on pullet!
BTW ladies, here is updated pics of Bean, my BA now at a full 7 weeks.... still guessing as to the waddle pink color, but hardly a comb, tail quite large too....arrrr!?! Thanks so much for your expertise
View attachment 1031416 View attachment 1031416
No expertise here though, just practicing to learn all I can. 
The tail doesn't have pointy feathers although those won't come in until maybe 10 weeks or later depending on breed. Also the tail looks nice and tight not loose and flowing. As well, the girls get what I call a "hen bump" on their saddle area, where as they boys in my experience the saddle tends to lay a little flatter and spread around the tail and hang down. Verses the hen bump essentially becomes part of the tail visually. Even though the waddles are a little pink, they are still small and the comb is still flesh colored. 
