Blue Laced Red Wyandotte Roo or Hen?

[TwoChicksChix]

Hey everybody,

So I have two blue laced red Wyandotte’s that are almost 15 weeks old. I think I have one hen and one roo, but I’m not completely sure.

He only has a bigger wattle and comb, but shows no other signs of being a roo. His tail feathers and sickle feathers look like hers, he doesn’t crow at all, and he hasn’t shown any of the signs my other Roos have at this age.

Is he just a different looking hen? Or a late blooming roo?

My hen

My roo.

 

[GuineaFowling]

Number 1 is definitely a hen and number 2 looks like a roo. My BLRW started crowing at 3.5 months. However, his wattles and comb became noticeably red well before that. At maybe 2.5 months.

 

[TwoChicksChix]

Yeah, they're almost four months old, but not a peep from him. That's why I'm a little confused. I mean, I know wyandottes can be late bloomers, but all my other roosters crowed much younger than him. Plus, some of them are even trying to breed now, but he just kinda hangs with the hen.

 

[featheredplanets]

Agreed. 1 is a pullet. 2 is a cockerel.

If you already have males that are crowing and mating, most cockerels will tend to keep quiet and submissive.

 

[homeschoolin momma]

I am really on the fence with this one. I just dont see any pointy sadlle feathers and while its wattles are bigger than the other, they aren't excessively so. Wyandottes can come into lay as early as 18 weeks, so since yours are almost 4 mo. I'm wondering if you have a point of lay pullet. Have the comb and wattles always been more red than the other or is it a new development?

But it could also be a submissive little roo. I have a slo roo that never crows. He was nearly 10 mo. old before i even heard him cock a doodle for the first time! He had no need and doesn't want to attract the attention of the alpha roo. He's perfectly content being 3rd in the rooster line.

By the way, I love the silkie in the bucket in that 3rd picture. Too cute!

 

[GuineaFowling]

Agreed. 1 is a pullet. 2 is a cockerel.

If you already have males that are crowing and mating, most cockerels will tend to keep quiet and submissive.

I agree, my BLRW only started crowing after the roosters higher in the pecking order were rehomed.

 

[Willowspirit]

I think he’s a cockerel because of the development of his comb and the way the feathers are starting to grow across his back. My close in age Wyandotte pullets have smooth back feathers that don’t cross over like that.

 

[ColtHandorf]

The first bird is a pullet, and the second bird a cockerel. Look at the shoulders. They clearly indicate the bird is male. So does the size and redness of the comb and wattles.

 

[cstephens1987]

Wings, saddle, comb, wattles, everything points to cockerel on this one