Cockerel or pullet?

[ChickenMama79]

Leghorns pullets do have large combs, but they certainly do not have that much color at just 6 weeks of age. You can wait if you want, but I am sure you won't see an egg from either bird.

Yeah, we were talking about that. The pictures make them look much redder than they actually seem in real life. Compared to my laying hens (that are on summer break, and so their combs aren't as red as usual), they are actually not red at all. I'll keep an eye on them, though.

 

[mpmb1227]

They look like leghorns; I had one that was quite young and had a large comb. However, the tails have an arch to them that doesn't happen all that often in pullets, in my experience at least. If the tails continue to grow in that manner, suspect they are male. It is also possible that they will start to "crow" (quotes are because immature crows do not sound much like a crow) in the coming weeks. Everybody is right to tell you at this point you'll just have to wait and watch.

 

[ChickenMama79]

They look like leghorns; I had one that was quite young and had a large comb. However, the tails have an arch to them that doesn't happen all that often in pullets, in my experience at least. If the tails continue to grow in that manner, suspect they are male. It is also possible that they will start to "crow" (quotes are because immature crows do not sound much like a crow) in the coming weeks. Everybody is right to tell you at this point you'll just have to wait and watch.

Interesting. I hadn't thought of the tail. In that case, I think the one in the back just might turn out to be a pullet. Fingers crossed!!

Thanks for all the input, everyone!! I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[ChickenMama79]

Well, one of them- the bigger one with the bigger comb- started crowing today! Back to the feed store he goes. The other one has a much smaller tail and comb still, so I'm holding out hope.

 

[tomiferris]

Oh that stinks. But one out of two would still be good.

 

[junebuggena]

Well, one of them- the bigger one with the bigger comb- started crowing today! Back to the feed store he goes. The other one has a much smaller tail and comb still, so I'm holding out hope.

Don't hope. Both are cockerels. Pullets do not start to turn pink in the comb until they are getting close to laying. For a Leghorn, that is sometime between 16 and 20 weeks old. A 6 week old chick is, at best, still 3 months away from being ready to lay. Those are boys. No questions about it.

 

[lazy gardener]

Nah. It was our neighbor who realized they didn't know how to keep chickens. Lol

We will just find someone who wants to buy them! I just think it's a shame that of all the chicks, they chose 2 roosters!!

I'm guessing that you neighbor more likely didn't know how to keep cockrels! Chances are good that you will be lucky to give them away.

 

[ChickenMama79]

We can take them back to the feed store, but since we didn't actually buy them, they won't buy them back. As far as the neighbors go- I'm certain they thought they were pullets. They bought them on a whim and realized they didn't have any clue how to raise them. They were only 2 weeks old when we got them and you couldn't tell they weren't girls. One of the three is a girl. I hope she assimilates into the older flock! She's an Easter egger.