Black Copper Maran Sexing Help

[Jessi.Smith]

I have an 8-ish BCM that I am trying to sex. A local feed store is having some BCM pullets come in later this month, and if the one I have is a cockerell, I plan on buying some pullets. But I don't need (or want) more "hens/pullets" than I have. And feed stores have a minimum so I am hoping this is a pullet.

 

[The Happster]

Boyyy sorry

 

[Painted Calls]

Cockerel

 

[pennyJo1960]

X 3

 

[TexiCaliBlues]

Yes, definitely looks like a cockerel to me too! Look at those legs!!!

 

[RrooKk]

Also looks like a roo to me. Those pronounced red wattles and comb are a dead give away.

 

[house1917]

In the first picture I zoomed in and the tail shape and closeness of the comb say pullet to me.

But in other pictures the wattles are a bit big for a pullet, and the overall redness of the comb and wattles isn't a great sign.

Especially with Marans, leg size can be deceiving because of the feathering, and I've had pullets with some serious drumsticks. And, at eight weeks my Marans cockerels had much more pronounced combs- in my experience they really telegraph 'roo' starting at about six weeks.

Definitely a 'hold' on this youngster, you have the frustrating slow-growing-cockerel, or fast-maturing-pullet scenario!

 

[TexiCaliBlues]

Of course, it's all speculation until the first crow or the first egg, so they say I've attached a couple pictures of my 10 wk old FCM girls for reference just for the fun of it Good luck!

 

[house1917]

Here's my 'hold' Splash Marans youngster. 'She' is seven weeks old and 30% bigger than her hatch mates. Yellow face, comb, no real wattles- but 'she' is a BEAST.

Carries 'herself' like a hen but has zero fear of the cockerel and just kind of looks at him like "Really?" when he chest bumps her (pic of him as well, of course, he's a lap chicken).

90% sure she's a she, but I worry from her size alone that she's a late blooming cockerel.

 

[TexiCaliBlues]

Looks like a tough little lady to me fingers crossed! My BR pullet is like that, bosses our Roo around (they're the same age) and will peck you before he even thinks twice about it lol