Boy or Girl Barred Rock Chick?

[Cradd]

Got this kiddo from Meyers. Supposed to be a girl but she is bigger and much more outgoing than my other 2. I know you can tell from the head spot. And excuse the selfie pick haha. Thoughts ?

 

[NatJ]

I think it's probably female, based on the amount of white barring in the wing feathers and the dark color in the fronts of the lower legs.

I've never been very good with headspots, but the headspot and the points I mentioned are all effects of the same gene (barring.)

Female chickens have sex chromosomes ZW, and the barring gene is on the Z chromosome, so females can only have one copy of that gene. They tend to have a smaller headspot, less white in the barring on their feathers, and more black showing on the lower legs.

Male chickens have sex chromosomes ZZ, so they are able to have either one or two copies of the barring gene. When they have two copies (like Barred Rock males), they show a greater effect from that gene: larger headspot, more white barring in the feathers, less black on the lower legs.

 

[Tookie]

Most likely a pullet.