Cockerel??

[ZazasMom]

Hey everyone,

I'm ready to bring all cockerels from our May hatch back to the breeder and wanted to confirm that this 9 week old "breed unclear" is a cockerel?

The feathers are growing in weird directions... Do you see hackle feathers? I think the back feathers still look too rounded, but the front looks like a boy.

Thanks in advance!

 

[HappyClucker7]

Pullet.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Hey everyone,

I'm ready to bring all cockerels from our May hatch back to the breeder and wanted to confirm that this 9 week old "breed unclear" is a cockerel?

The feathers are growing in weird directions... Do you see hackle feathers? I think the back feathers still look too rounded, but the front looks like a boy.

Thanks in advance!

View attachment 2745840 View attachment 2745841

View attachment 2745835 View attachment 2745836 View attachment 2745838 View attachment 2745839

Tricky one. Can you part the feathers in the middle back to check for budding saddles?

 

[MysteryChicken]

I have an Orpington of similar color to your mix, but he doesn't have blue.

He's 7 weeks.

 

[ZazasMom]

Tricky one. Can you part the feathers in the middle back to check for budding saddles?

I hope I parted in the right area... It definitely put up a fight like my other cockerels. Can you explain what it should look like boy vs girl? There are smaller feathers budding, does the fact that they are there mean cockerel? Thanks!

 

[MadamContrary]

It's a little higher up on it's back, right in front of the tail, where you might see saddles growing in soon, closer to 12 weeks is the average. I'd wait to call gender on this one. Single comb males usually have a much more red comb by now.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I hope I parted in the right area... It definitely put up a fight like my other cockerels. Can you explain what it should look like boy vs girl? There are smaller feathers budding, does the fact that they are there mean cockerel? Thanks!

View attachment 2745895 View attachment 2745894

The middle of the back is between the shoulders.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I hope I parted in the right area... It definitely put up a fight like my other cockerels. Can you explain what it should look like boy vs girl? There are smaller feathers budding, does the fact that they are there mean cockerel? Thanks!

View attachment 2745895 View attachment 2745894

Male saddles are pointy, female saddles are rounded.

 

[ZazasMom]

Okay, thank you! I'll look a little further up next time, I'm still new at this Probably wait until they go to sleep tonight - he/she was kicking and screaming!

My husband said the voice sounded like a rooster. Is that a thing??

 

[MysteryChicken]

Okay, thank you! I'll look a little further up next time, I'm still new at this Probably wait until they go to sleep tonight - he/she was kicking and screaming!

My husband said the voice sounded like a rooster. Is that a thing??

Cockerels generally do get deeper voices as they age.