Chickadee or chickadude? Plus photos of the others

[OScarlet]

Reason #3751 of why chickens are funny AKA it is hard to take close ups of chickens!

This is the one I think may be male...?? (can try and take closer pictures but s/he is more squirrely than the others)

S/he took much longer to get feathers, especially tail feathers than the others. Got the beginnings of wattles earlier and has more of a pinkish tinge to his/hers than others. S/he is more pushy and more upset if one of the other birds is missing/on someone's lap or has been carried out.

Male or female? I think they are ?7? weeks old except the larger Ameraucana, I think she is two weeks older..??



This is Matilda -- I think S/he just took a dustbath, not her most flattering picture. Very quick to come running when I call and loves to perch on someone's arm but pecks really hard! She used to be called pocky because she liked to sit in my husband's shirt pocket.



This is Lydia, she is quieter than the others, she is the oldest, was dominant, not so much any more. Last to come looking for treats


This is Hazel of the out of focus selfie at the beginning. Lovely bird. Really hope you all think she is female because she is pretty and sweet tempered and very interested in treats but does not peck hard.

 

[Kelsie2290]

My votes right now, #1 roo, #2 possible roo, #3 girl, #4 girl.

 

[OScarlet]

Tried to get pictures of Chickadee/dude and Matilda close up. If you let me know what to look for I can try for a picture again

 

[Kelsie2290]

Good pictures of the head, especially the comb and wattle area, and good side pictures will get you the best guesses. At seven weeks they are still kinda young but, Ya, really think chick is a dude, with the wattle color at five weeks, and the comb on a Wyandotte, think boy. Matilda looked like she had more pink in the first picture, this picture looks more like a girl. With the other two, the EE color usually means girl, but you might want to get a picture of her head and comb just in case. The orps can have really late blooming roos, but Hazel does look really girly.

 

[OScarlet]

Thanks Kelsie! I had another go at close up head shots. Man am I not popular in the hen house! There was lots of squawking involved to get these! How old do they have to be to be reasonably sure.. I know laying an egg is sure but before that...



Matilda covered in PDZ


Hazel


Chickadee/dude


Lydia

 

[K Spot]

Hazel the Buff Orpington and Lydia the Easter Egger are pullets

Chick the Silver Laced Wyandotte is looking like a roo

Matilda the Australorp (I think) I'm on the fence with, but leaning towards pullet at this stage.

 

[Kelsie2290]

I believe they call that the "stink eye" in those shots. Ya, Chick is most probably a boy, and Lydia prob a girl, orps can have surprise roos show up pretty late, but Hazel does look really girly right now. Matilda is the iffy one, in the first pic I would have said boy the next two girl, so I will say girl but my mind is subject to change. 10-12 weeks you should know on the three of them pretty much for sure, if Matilda is a boy that wattle and comb should pink up and grow pretty fast if that is the start of it that is showing in the pictures. Bet Chick will be looking more and more like a boy. Lydia should start getting red feathers pretty soon if she is a boy. Hazel is going to be the longest to be sure sure, there have been a lot of really late blooming orps on BYC.

 

[OScarlet]

Thanks

 

[OScarlet]

pics taken today

Chickadee


Matilda



Hazel (with chickadee behind)


Lydia (who is camera shy!)

 

[Kelsie2290]

They are 12 weeks now? They are growing fast. I still think Lydia is a girl, everybody else is confusing me. You might want to post them separately (with more pics) to maybe get some more people responding. Can you get some side shots of Chick/Chickadee there, the color pattern makes it confusing but I think there should be more patchy color on a boys back/shoulders by now and the comb/wattle development hasn't really changed. I do believe Chick is working on a sex change and is back to Chickadee, darn bird. Now Hazel makes me wonder with that pic her color looks patchy. I give up.