Comb size or color?

[6chicksinatub]

I've seen lots of information about combs being an indicator of a chicks gender. I understand it's not a 100% sign, and the experienced BYC users say that over and over, and I really like that honesty about this forum. So, I have one (for now) question about it.
Is the comb's size or it's color the thing you're looking for?
I'm sure it varies on breeds and age and more. But, in general, would a 6 wk. old chick with a small/normal bright red comb say "I'm a man" more that its sibling with a large to biggish yellowy orange comb?

I am new here and am pretty sure this informations in here somewhere, but...

Thanks.

 

[M.sue]

I'm new here also and no expert. Comb size does differ with breeds. Combs are different sized & their shaped differs depending on the breed. Color is an indication as if hen or Roo and so is size of the comb. I figured out my Bantam was a Roo right about 6 wks. of age. The comb was an indicator, it was flaming red; but what I went by was it's feathers. Meaning their shape (tail) and their color. As each day passed the Roo's feathers were more prominent. The Roo also "strutted his stuff" where the hens just scrambled all around. As with all foul (told by my bird/geese hunting family members) the male has the more brighter and colorful feathers while the female has less viberant...hench to be more cammoaflague since the mother always sits on the nest and is less noticable to preditators. My Roo also started practicing his crow right about 5-6wks. of age.

 

[centrarchid]

For me, within a line (related group of chickens), comb is related to gender. Males tend to have larger combs but there is overlap between sexes. Comb coloration also an indicator of stress. When chicks small I like to see a bright yellow comb and and as chick matures it should become pink and then red. Birds that are stressed tend to have paler combs. Stress can be due to parasites, cold, poor nutrition or even egg production in a hen. My roosters seem to be partial to hens with bright red combs as such hens are at the start of their laying cycle. With hens I allow to go broody, the comb tends to pale as clutch nearly set and remains so until hen stops clucking / brooding chicks. The comb becomes redder again and hen then again becomes receptive to mating.