Blue Orpington sex help

[Streetview]

Was told these were both pullets based on some sex link factors when breeding splash/blue babies. Was told the males would have a dot on their head and be blue cuckoos (we had one hatch that matched this to a T we already rehomed) and the pullets would have this coloring. However, one of the pullets is looking more like a roo to me. What do you think? Pardon the run, this was cleaning day. PS Black sex Link Mommy was a surrogate broody and is not related by blood.

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[MonicainAZ]

Do you know the colors of the parents? If the hen was cuckoo and the male solid, the sex link should work and this should be a hen. The comb development is suspicious but it's still pale so it could still be a girl.

 

[Streetview]

Hi! Thanks so much for responding. If I recall right there was either a cuckoo or splash.

 

[MonicainAZ]

The only way sex linking works is with a barred (cuckoo) hen and a solid rooster. I believe the barring can be under any color (black cuckoo, blue cuckoo, splash cuckoo). With any other combo (non-barred splash hen, cuckoo rooster, two solid parents) the offspring won't be sex-linked and any gender could have any color.

 

[Gray Farms]

Orpingtons are slow develpers. You've got one cockerel for sure and if there the same age I'd say the other is a pullet.

 

[Streetview]

Thanks so much for the replies! It for sure was a barred and a non barred in the breeding pen I just couldnt recall for sure if it was splash cuckoo or barred. It sure does look like a rooster, though with that comb (when compared to the other!) If it starts to turn red soon is that a for sure sign?

 

[donrae]

The base color of the bird technically doesn't matter when you're using barring for sex linkage. No matter if the bird is black, blue or splash, the white head spot indicates male and a solid dark head indicated female. That's the theory

In practice, some of us have tried to make blue sex links and it just doesn't always work. We get ambiguous chicks, where the head spot is too diffuse or fuzzy to be reliable at hatch. That's on the blue chicks, on a splash chick a head spot is basically invisible.

So, I think you do have a cockerel and a pullet. Not necessarily the fault of the seller, it's a case where practice doesn't follow theory.

 

[drumstick diva]

agree with donrae and very well put

 

[Streetview]

That was very informative thank you!!