Brabanter Chicks--are there gender clues in the feather colors?

[hallerlake]

Quote: You want the black spangle at the tip. The lacing not so much.

 

[LavendarFeather]

You want the black spangle at the tip. The lacing not so much.

Oh, thanks. I have a lot to learn. She has almost no crest, anyway, so I don't know about her. Maybe not the best example of her breed, but she really appeals to me aesthetically. So if she's not right for breeding, she can have a spot in my layer pen

 

[themyers05]

hey, when did you figure out the genders, and what was your first clue? i have two brabanters, and they are almost 4 weeks. one has a much more obvious comb peeking out under it's crest, but i'm not sure how "official" that is. we can't keep any roosters, we will just have egg layers, so i need to find him a home (if he's a "he") before he starts trying to crow and angers my neighbors. keeping chickens is already a sensitive situation, and i'd rather avoid throwing a rooster in the mix. thanks so much for your help!

 

[LavendarFeather]

Don't give up yet! An obvious comb at 4 weeks is suspicious, but you probably won't know for sure for awhile yet. With my first Brabanters, I was pretty sure at about 8 weeks--two had red on their combs and faces, two did not. In fact, their combs were colorless. My next group, the red didn't really show up till closer to 10 weeks (they were from a different source). By that time, the two cockerels were also sparring, but not crowing. I have some chicks now that are about 6 weeks, and I really don't see any strong clues. I'd watch for red on the comb and face, and take that as my strongest indication. My cockerels have abundant saddle feathers, but my 12-week-old pullets do too--had me worried for awhile.

Where do you live?

 

[themyers05]

i'm in southern tn, chattanooga area. i'll try to get some photos up, if i can make them work.

 

[themyers05]

these first 2 are of the one i think may be a rooster

and these last two are of the one i believe is a hen. but i really have no idea about either. they are 4 1/2 wks here.

 

[LavendarFeather]

I would guess the same as you at this point. I'd say the first two are definitely roosters, based on the redness of their combs. The other two could still develop redness, but if not, you've probably got two and two.

 

[Extra Java]

I realize this is an older thread but I believe this is a cockerel what do you think?

 

[hallerlake]

I realize this is an older thread but I believe this is a cockerel what do you think?

How old?

 

[Extra Java]

Hatched June 12th