Black copper maran pullets or cockerels? 8wks old

[PNWhomesteader]

does anyone have any ideas from these pictures whether i could have pullets or cockerels.. these pictures are of the same two birds.. i can try and get better pics if necessary they are 8wks 4 days old

 

[venymae]

right now I'd say pullets because of lack of pointy saddle and hackle feathers.

 

[Theladiesandagentleman]

By that age they would have more red in the comb so I'd say pullets.

 

[LilJoe]

Pullets

 

[Red Banks]

does anyone have any ideas from these pictures whether i could have pullets or cockerels.. these pictures are of the same two birds.. i can try and get better pics if necessary they are 8wks 4 days old

View attachment 1363487
View attachment 1363489
View attachment 1363490

Pullets.

 

[Alexandra33]

Lovely pullets!

~Alex

 

[EggSighted4Life]

right now I'd say pullets because of lack of pointy saddle and hackle feathers.

8 weeks is too young on ANY breed I have raised for pointy saddle feathers to have developed. At this age the indicators are comb and waddle size and color, feather color, and behavior. Also sometimes leg girth or body size.

But those were great examples that you used and that's a very easy and accurate way to determine gender once the saddle feathers start showing.

Those are pullets!

They lack any decent copper and wont be gaining much more than that. But they are still lovely ladies that should lay you some beautiful eggs and be confident good and hardy members of a flock. The males do usually have more red pigment in their wing area by this age. Marans are good at showing their gender young (many boys by 3.5 weeks)... and one of the few breeds I keep, breed, and raise. By 8 weeks the boys have more than double that comb and waddle EASILY. And their feather colors are VERY distinctive with deep red hues associated with male birds. Green sheen means NOT, all my ladies have it and is accepted in the black copper variety and breeding for it can help breed white fluff out of the tail... though it looks like you are just gonna enjoy them and not worry about breeding, IF you get bitten by the bug.. you will have one hint up your sleeve for breeding tips.

NO worries for late blooming in those LADIES.

 

[PNWhomesteader]

8 weeks is too young on ANY breed I have raised for pointy saddle feathers to have developed. At this age the indicators are comb and waddle size and color, feather color, and behavior. Also sometimes leg girth or body size.

But those were great examples that you used and that's a very easy and accurate way to determine gender once the saddle feathers start showing.

Those are pullets!

They lack any decent copper and wont be gaining much more than that. But they are still lovely ladies that should lay you some beautiful eggs and be confident good and hardy members of a flock. The males do usually have more red pigment in their wing area by this age. Marans are good at showing their gender young (many boys by 3.5 weeks)... and one of the few breeds I keep, breed, and raise. By 8 weeks the boys have more than double that comb and waddle EASILY. And their feather colors are VERY distinctive with deep red hues associated with male birds. Green sheen means NOT, all my ladies have it and is accepted in the black copper variety and breeding for it can help breed white fluff out of the tail... though it looks like you are just gonna enjoy them and not worry about breeding, IF you get bitten by the bug.. you will have one hint up your sleeve for breeding tips.

NO worries for late blooming in those LADIES.

Thank you!!! Great info!!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Sorry, one other thing I can't resist after reading your header again...

Just for fun and informational purposes... Marans is ALWAYS said with the S at the end whether referring to a single bird or many. That is because they hail from the french port town, Marans.

Might as well share one other, though it's semi irrelevant to your thread... Welsumer is actually also from the dutch town Welsum. So the proper spelling for the chicken would be similar to a resident who is a Welsumer. However, spelling with two M's is common and also accepted regarding the chicken.

 

[bigsurchica]

They look like pullets to me.