Brand New Chicken Mother Needing Some Breed and Gender Help!

[Saum Creek]

Hi everyone. Thanks for letting me join your little community here -- this is my first post! We hatched 11 chicks at the school I work at and I am tending to the little chirpers until they are old enough to join their new flocks. I'm keeping three of them, the school is keeping two, and the rest have homes already.

That being said, I don't know anything about chicken breeds or genders and need some help! They are only 5 weeks old so it's probably too early to be sure, but I thought I'd reach out anyway.

#1: Super friendly lovebug, but some people on Reddit were convinced it's a Roo:

#2: Assuming this is a hen, just all black? Any idea of a breed or mutt mix?

#3 I LOVE THIS ONE please tell me it isn't a rooster

#4: White hen and bantam rooster-roo?

Thanks for any help you can give. I'm sure this won't be my last post! Chickens, man.

 

[Gray Farms]

They are all crossbreds as are 99% of all "classroom" chicks. #1 and bantam #4 are likely cockerels. But its a little early to say for sure on the rest.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That's one of each sex in the last picture.
The one poking its light head out in the second picture may be a cockerel. Too early to tell the one in the first picture.
Did the school know what breeds of eggs they acquired?
There are no roosters or hens in those pictures. Until one year of age, males are cockerels and females are pullets.

Welcome to the site. It's always great to have fledgling chicken keepers.

 

[Saum Creek]

Thanks for your replies! And yes, ahem, cockerels and pullets. Future roosters and hens. I'm new to this game - sorry!

Fingers crossed for #1!

 

[Saum Creek]

Did the school know what breeds of eggs they acquired?

I got a dozen fertilized eggs from a lovely woman on a farm - and specifically told her to mix it up because I thought it would be more interesting for the kiddos. So this mess is my fault!

 

[Gray Farms]

Your going to be disappointed with #1. With that much growth and red comb at 5 week, it very likely a cockerel.

 

[Saum Creek]

Your going to be disappointed with #1. With that much growth and red comb at 5 week, it very likely a cockerel.

Oh well, disappointment is part of life. I love them all equally anyway.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I got a dozen fertilized eggs from a lovely woman on a farm - and specifically told her to mix it up because I thought it would be more interesting for the kiddos. So this mess is my fault!

Did you ask her what breeds she raises and whether or not she separates breeds so they are purebred or are they guaranteed to be barnyard mixes?

 

[Saum Creek]

Did you ask her what breeds she raises and whether or not she separates breeds so they are purebred or are they guaranteed to be barnyard mixes?

I.... no. Of course I didn't do something so sensible. Barnyard mixes are fine by me!

 

[chrissynemetz]

It does look like you have possibly two cockerels there, but it's still a bit early to tell on the rest. They're a good looking little flock, can you post more pictures in a couple of weeks?