Cockerel or Pullet? SLW

[EnderianQueen]

Yes, you get that on this forum a lot. That can even be true if the father is pure for the fast feathering gene and the mother has the dominant slow feathering gene. Since both parents are the same breed that is tremendously unlikely. Some people see an effect and don't realize there is a cause.

It is too early to tell with yours. In another two to three weeks post photos and we might be able to help. I'd need a photo showing a close-up of the head so I can see the comb and wattles, if any. If the comb is red, likely a boy. Yellow or pink, could be a girl. If you can see wattles at that age probably a boy.

I also like a profile photo showing legs and posture. Thick heavy legs indicate a boy, skinny legs a girl. An upright posture signals a boy, bent over a girl. Sometimes body conformation can give a clue.

Behaviors can give a clue. Boys are often braver and more curious. If they come out to greet you expect it to be a boy. If they hang in the background it is more likely a girl.

Sometimes it is obvious by 5 weeks or even younger. Sometimes I can't be sure until 4 months or so. Usually I have a pretty good clue by 5 weeks but it can be rough.

Good luck!

So mines a boy?

 

[EnderianQueen]

That’s great to hear. I just keep seeing conflicting info that late feathering is an indicator of a roo. So if I need to swap I wanted to do it earlier than later. Sounds like a waiting game. Thanks.

It’s good to have one male at least (the kinder ones) because they protect the flock and help with the pecking order without one a more aggressive female may start crowing and mounting other females to show dominance

 

[EnderianQueen]

So mines a boy?

Also mines a either a Black Copper Maran-Black Astrolorpe cross or a Black Copper Maran-Sexlink cross likely sexlink since they have some brown on the no longer downy feathers and white dot under one eye and two on the wings And a white chest

 

[Muser]

My Wyandotte took an age to feather out (All other chicks had fully feathered) and the comb got real red early on, i thought she was male for a long time, but she's a super softie who's gorgeous and lays pretty pink eggs

 

[Ridgerunner]

So mines a boy?

Also mines a either a Black Copper Maran-Black Astrolorpe cross or a Black Copper Maran-Sexlink cross likely sexlink since they have some brown on the no longer downy feathers and white dot under one eye and two on the wings And a white chest

I'd give it a 50-50 chance. I don't know how old yours is and did not get the photos I asked for to use other methods.

You do not know who the parents are. You do not know that the father was pure for the recessive fast feathering gene or that the mother has the dominant slow-feathering gene. Without knowing about the genetics of the parents feather sexing does not work. Besides, feather sexing works at hatch or immediately after, not weeks later.

From the evidence you have given, a coin flip is as accurate as anything else.

 

[EnderianQueen]

I'd give it a 50-50 chance. I don't know how old yours is and did not get the photos I asked for to use other methods.

You do not know who the parents are. You do not know that the father was pure for the recessive fast feathering gene or that the mother has the dominant slow-feathering gene. Without knowing about the genetics of the parents feather sexing does not work. Besides, feather sexing works at hatch or immediately after, not weeks later.

From the evidence you have given, a coin flip is as accurate as anything else.

But I gave a pick of his leg and his wing and another photo in a different comment. He/she will be 2 weeks old tomorrow

 

[TOMTE]

But I gave a pick of his leg and his wing and another photo in a different comment. He/she will be 2 weeks old tomorrow

Here is a guide for taking good pics for identification.

Still, without knowing your chick's exact genealogy (the parents and their genes), it's impossible to say whether feather sexing is a valid way of sexing them. It only works with a specific set of genes, and even then only when they're less than about a week old.

Basically, not only is the chick too old for feather sexing, it may not be able to be feather sexed in the first place.

 

[EnderianQueen]

Here is a guide for taking good pics for identification.

Still, without knowing your chick's exact genealogy (the parents and their genes), it's impossible to say whether feather sexing is a valid way of sexing them. It only works with a specific set of genes, and even then only when they're less than about a week old.

Basically, not only is the chick too old for feather sexing, it may not be able to be feather sexed in the first place.

Mother is a sexlink and father is a black copper Maran, so basically a Black Copper Sexlink. egg lady (the person who gave me my babies egg) says both parents are purebred

 

[Ridgerunner]

But I gave a pick of his leg and his wing and another photo in a different comment. He/she will be 2 weeks old tomorrow

In my reply to Shox820 (who's chicks were 20 days old) I said:

It is too early to tell with yours. In another two to three weeks post photos and we might be able to help.

Yours are even younger to use visual clues.

I'd need a photo showing a close-up of the head so I can see the comb and wattles, if any.

I also like a profile photo showing legs and posture.

I don't see a close-up on the head. Your distant shot is so far away I can't see any details.

Mother is a sexlink and father is a black copper Maran, so basically a Black Copper Sexlink. egg lady (the person who gave me my babies egg) says both parents are purebred

I assume she was saying that the parents of the sexlink were purebreeds because a sex link is not a purebreed. They are a hybrid cross. Nothing wrong with that, they can be great chickens. But by definition they will not breed true.

That tells me nothing about the slow or fast feathering genes. Some breeds should be pure for the slow feathering or fast feathering gene since that helps define their looks. A Barred Rock should be pure for slow feathering, a Cuckoo Marans should be pure for fast feathering, for example. But I do not see any help with slow or fast with your breeds.

@EnderianQueen I'm sorry but your chick cannot be feather sexed. Your photos are not suitable for that purpose even if it were old enough.

@TOMTE linked an excellent guide for identifying chickens. The last two examples are the ones you might want to look at so we can try to sex your chick when it is time.

Here is a guide for taking good pics for identification.

 

[Shox820]

Yes, you get that on this forum a lot. That can even be true if the father is pure for the fast feathering gene and the mother has the dominant slow feathering gene. Since both parents are the same breed that is tremendously unlikely. Some people see an effect and don't realize there is a cause.

It is too early to tell with yours. In another two to three weeks post photos and we might be able to help. I'd need a photo showing a close-up of the head so I can see the comb and wattles, if any. If the comb is red, likely a boy. Yellow or pink, could be a girl. If you can see wattles at that age probably a boy.

I also like a profile photo showing legs and posture. Thick heavy legs indicate a boy, skinny legs a girl. An upright posture signals a boy, bent over a girl. Sometimes body conformation can give a clue.

Behaviors can give a clue. Boys are often braver and more curious. If they come out to greet you expect it to be a boy. If they hang in the background it is more likely a girl.

Sometimes it is obvious by 5 weeks or even younger. Sometimes I can't be sure until 4 months or so. Usually I have a pretty good clue by 5 weeks but it can be rough.

Good luck!

Here are some updated photos of the one in question. Still some patchy spots in feathering but already showing wattles at 6 weeks. I can’t really tell a difference in posture or leg thickness compared to the others.