Hi all,
I recently bought a bunch of very sensible and utilitarian egg-layers, then when I got to the hatchery for pickup, had a moment of madness and asked them to add a Barred Cochin to my order. I called this impulse 'chicken roulette' because they do not sex Barred Cochins at the hatchery; so I had a 50/50 chance of getting a female (which I can keep). Now I'm 4 weeks in, and one of my 'guaranteed female' golden comets is clearly turning rooster. I am on pins and needles because I am torn on the gender of my Cochin, and I really really really really don't want to have to give away two birds. Here are the following facts that pull me in one direction or another:
Female: Soot has the same posture as the other females (low and squatty). She/he also has been feathering like a weed (almost ahead of my known females) whereas my rooster still almost looks like a chick. Soot's comb is starting to pink up only now whereas my rooster's is rosier than a tanned backside.
Male: Soot's comb is growing in fast (moreso than my comets) and is starting to juuuust turn pink at the base. Soot's tail stands up straighter than those of my Comets.
I can't figure out how to post a picture, so I hope the above descriptions are good. I am hoping that the comb on Soot is just indicative of her/his breed since all the pictures I have seen of the hens are with large red combs. If you have knowledge of how Cochins grow, please let me know if this sounds like a typical female!
Thanks for any help you can give!
I recently bought a bunch of very sensible and utilitarian egg-layers, then when I got to the hatchery for pickup, had a moment of madness and asked them to add a Barred Cochin to my order. I called this impulse 'chicken roulette' because they do not sex Barred Cochins at the hatchery; so I had a 50/50 chance of getting a female (which I can keep). Now I'm 4 weeks in, and one of my 'guaranteed female' golden comets is clearly turning rooster. I am on pins and needles because I am torn on the gender of my Cochin, and I really really really really don't want to have to give away two birds. Here are the following facts that pull me in one direction or another:
Female: Soot has the same posture as the other females (low and squatty). She/he also has been feathering like a weed (almost ahead of my known females) whereas my rooster still almost looks like a chick. Soot's comb is starting to pink up only now whereas my rooster's is rosier than a tanned backside.
Male: Soot's comb is growing in fast (moreso than my comets) and is starting to juuuust turn pink at the base. Soot's tail stands up straighter than those of my Comets.
I can't figure out how to post a picture, so I hope the above descriptions are good. I am hoping that the comb on Soot is just indicative of her/his breed since all the pictures I have seen of the hens are with large red combs. If you have knowledge of how Cochins grow, please let me know if this sounds like a typical female!
Thanks for any help you can give!
