Confirmation needed. Matilda or Matt? Compared with I' pretty sure Ruby :) (the one to the right in

[melanie shamel]

 

[my sunwolf]

Hi!!!

!!!!!

Their age, breed, and closeup pictures would help, but I'm going to say male (I can clearly see sickle feathers, as well as pointed saddle feathers).

 

[Nike]

Looks like a Matt!

 

[melanie shamel]

I think so too, didn't want to confess that "he" is crowing some of the time. I have found a good home for him, but would like to keep him if he won't cause trouble. I am knew to this and haven't learned yet what the impact of the rooster will be, minus the obvious. And Ruby? Do ya'll agree she is still a Ruby? Thanks in advance to all. Sexing seems to be the most ambiguous and difficult thing about chickens.

BTW: I adopted them as babies right before Mother's Day from a respected hatchery in NC. I guess a 75% sexing accuracy is pretty good.

 

[hdowden]

the first pic is 1000% cockerel you can see the long slender pointed hackles and saddles there is no way that one is a pullet

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Both in the bottom pic look like pullets. The top pic is a boy with those very masculine saddle feathers.

I think part of your post was cut off. Is there something about Ruby that is causing doubt that doesn't show in your pic?

 

[melanie shamel]

No, just wanted my own comparison with my own girls/guy for my own satisfaction. Being new at this is the only thing causing doubt. I was pretty sure Ruby was a girl as is Elly May. Poor Matilda. What are the issues to face if I keep Matt. All of them seem to get along. They are BO's at just around 4/4.5 mos old. Thank You for being so helpful.

 

[hdowden]

have you noticed the color difference between the cockerel and the pullets? i find that the cockerels get darker/brighter than the pullets and you can see that change start on their wings

 

[Wishing4Wings]

From a chicken standpoint, there shouldn't be any issues if you keep the rooster. The biggest problem for BYCers seems to be the crowing that disturbs neighbors.

At his very worst, a rooster can be people-aggressive (although few are) and occasionally might "overbreed" the hens, causing feather loss (easily fixed by providing more hens).

At his best, a rooster will give his life to save his hens, be on constant alert for danger, diffuse some of the excessive "hen-pecking" that can occur in all girl flocks, allow his hens to eat first and offer any treats (bugs!) to them, allow you to hatch your own fertile eggs, and be a protective papa to baby chicks. In addition, roosters are beautiful. They are meant to be looked at, noticed, and admired.

Of course your cockerel has to grow up first! And just like teenage boys, "teenage" cockerels are at the mercy of their hormones and can go through some difficult stages. If you choose to keep him, I would recommend reading the article in the BYC Learning Center about raising roosters.

We had an unexpected cockerel from our sexed hatchery chicks this spring. Wanted to keep him, but the coop is too close to the house, and his crowing seriously cut into our sleep. He would start in at about 4:30 am and give updates on the half hours!

(I don't think most are this bad, but he learned from another early crowing roo in the neighborhood.) Luckily we found a good home for Bob.

 

[melanie shamel]

Yes. You are so right. Matt is darker with some silvery shine to his feathers, whereas the girls are duller and lighter. What fun to learn all of these things. I never imagined being a city girl in love with shoes that chickens would become a passion. Thanks for facilitating my education in "eggafication."