Chick with big comb. Unsure sex...

[zoes881]

Hey everyone. I've heard a lot of discussion on chickens with big combs but still being a hen. My chick Cashew is a Rhode Island Red and is 6 weeks old. She has a big comb for a chick. I have heard discussion on people saying that it's a pullet because the comb doesn't go farther down the head and people saying that it's a rooster because the comb is big. People are saying that it's a pullet because their chicks had big combs like mine but ended up being hens. We got her from a feed store saying That they were 90% sure that they were all girls. I'm hoping that Cashew is a pullet because otherwise we would have to give her away. Please be kind and say what you think and such. Here is a picture below....

 

[DuckGirl77]

Looks like you have a cockerel there

 

[zoes881]

@DuckGirl77 How do you know?

 

[DuckGirl77]

@DuckGirl77 How do you know?

The comb is large and has some red on it.

 

[zoes881]

Isn't it red from blood vessels? @DuckGirl77

 

[widelacing]

Sounds like my luck, too. Always getting males I don't want.

 

[zoes881]

@widelacing so does this look like a cockerel? If so why, I want to gather as much info as I can.

 

[zoes881]

A lot of people are saying that Cashew is a hen. Which is what I'm hoping for.

 

[MySweetChickens]

usually a hens comb is much smaller and not nearly as red at such a young age i am fairly certain most hen combs don't redden until they are near or are laying eggs also i have heard though I don't know if its confirmed that cockerels develop feathers slower and therefore look more "bare". Lastly although I am not sure it seems like his neck feathers are more pointy than rounded leading to cockerel as well but overall that comb is a big red flag saying boy

 

[DuckGirl77]

Isn't it red from blood vessels? @DuckGirl77

Well, I don't know why it turns red, but if it turns red at this age, it's a cockerel. In addition - I don't know if this is always true, but it's something I've noticed - the comb is larger on the back. I've also never seen a 6 week old pullet with a comb that size.