California - Northern

[Chooklet]

random question for those of you more-experienced chicken-keepers: I'm a bit concerned that two of my chicklets, the delaware & one of the SPPRs, may actually be boys -- they both are showing small wattles that are quite pink/red, and the SPPR has a pinker/brighter comb than the other, although no larger. at 11 or so weeks, what other kinds of signs of cockerel-ness should/might be showing?

thanks for any suggestions! i will try to take photographs later today but am not quite sure what i should be looking at/for.

You can easily tell the gender of SPPRs by feather pattern. Only the pullets/hens have the penciling! One of the really nice things about this color variety! Post a picture of the sppr - will be easy to tell you gender on that one.

On the Delaware, best to get a photo showing head from the side and front (for wattles and comb), and another showing the back of the bird - back of neck/upper back and then the saddle area of the lower back. At 11 weeks boys will start getting some pointy looking feathers in these two areas - the hackle and saddle feathers.

 

[lawatt]

You can easily tell the gender of SPPRs by feather pattern. Only the pullets/hens have the penciling! One of the really nice things about this color variety! Post a picture of the sppr - will be easy to tell you gender on that one.

On the Delaware, best to get a photo showing head from the side and front (for wattles and comb), and another showing the back of the bird - back of neck/upper back and then the saddle area of the lower back. At 11 weeks boys will start getting some pointy looking feathers in these two areas - the hackle and saddle feathers.

oh! did not know that about SPPRs -- i suppose i'm safe there, then. here's one more, of lucy's back:

 

[Chooklet]

Yup - Bella is definitely a girl. Not sure about Lucy. I don't see anything that screams out "boy" to me, but you may want to try searching the "what breed or gender is this" topic for Delawares and see if you can find a thread with pictures & responses for a 11-12 week old Delaware - I have found that to be really helpful for sexing different breeds at different ages. You can also try buying lots of fashion magazines to see if Lucy is interested in them. And decorating the coop with lots of pink sometime helps.

 

[lawatt]

Yup - Bella is definitely a girl. Not sure about Lucy. I don't see anything that screams out "boy" to me, but you may want to try searching the "what breed or gender is this" topic for Delawares and see if you can find a thread with pictures & responses for a 11-12 week old Delaware - I have found that to be really helpful for sexing different breeds at different ages. You can also try buying lots of fashion magazines to see if Lucy is interested in them. And decorating the coop with lots of pink sometime helps.

hmm, i've tried showing her different eyeshadow shades, but she just didn't seem jazzed by any of them -- maybe a different designer? (hilarious! esp. since my sister is the Beauty Editor at Lucky Magazine, so i actually would have a few mags lying around to try showing to the chicklets...)

i'll try posting on the what-gender thread. thanks!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Yay for Bella! One down, one to go! I didn't know that about pencilled rocks. Very useful thing to know! Wish I knew more about Delawares. Hope Lucy stays Lucy and not Lucifer (or Lucky, or Larry. No, not Larry).

By the way, Laura, my current dog's name is Bella and my older dog, who's now gone, was Lucy! Good girl names!

 

[Chooklet]

She may be sensitive to certain cosmetics - maybe try Physicians Formula, which, if I remember from my way-too-mucy-makeup days, is hypo-allergenic. (tee hee hee)

 

[zooweemama]

haha You girls are funny!

 

[lawatt]

Yay for Bella! One down, one to go! I didn't know that about pencilled rocks. Very useful thing to know! Wish I knew more about Delawares. Hope Lucy stays Lucy and not Lucifer (or Lucky, or Larry. No, not Larry).

By the way, Laura, my current dog's name is Bella and my older dog, who's now gone, was Lucy! Good girl names!

so fabulous, everyone's got some connection to everyone else's chicken-or-dog names today.

as i'll be getting some baby chicks this week (SO incredibly excited), i think the question of pullet-vs-cockerel is more on my mind than it has been in the past, hence casting a questioning eye on my current flock... greatly appreciate the help.

 

[jeremy]

and here's lucy -- i don't see any particularly pointed or shiny feathers, but her legs are very thick (nice bright yellow), and her comb/wattles are also looking brighter than the others':

Your Del looks like a pullet to me.

A cockerel at this age would be showing a lot more comb and wattle development.

I tried my hand at raising Dels for a few years, I ended up quitting the breed due to the fact that there are next to no quality specimens out there to work with. I raised a bunch of chicks and it's pretty easy to determine gender early on.

 

[lawatt]

Your Del looks like a pullet to me.

A cockerel at this age would be showing a lot more comb and wattle development.

I tried my hand at raising Dels for a few years, I ended up quitting the breed due to the fact that there are next to no quality specimens out there to work with. I raised a bunch of chicks and it's pretty easy to determine gender early on.

yay, thanks!! i can't really keep any roosters, so am relieved they are looking like girls.