Correct Me If I'm Wrong: Wing Development

[Aunt Angus]

I hope for that every chick season. My TSC doesn't carry males in some of the breeds I'd prefer roosters from. It made my day when I got an accidental Plymouth Rock rooster last year.

TOTALLY not your fault.

My plan was to get me a big ol' Brahma rooster some day. But I'll be happy with any as long as he's nicer than the pipsqueak I have now.

All I can say is that it's a good thing my current roo is tiny (like, maybe, a pound). If he were any bigger, he'd have raked me pretty good by now. I love roos. I want to raise a good one.

 

[Karasu]

TOTALLY not your fault.

My plan was to get me a big ol' Brahma rooster some day. But I'll be happy with any as long as he's nicer than the pipsqueak I have now.

All I can say is that it's a good thing my current roo is tiny (like, maybe, a pound). If he were any bigger, he'd have raked me pretty good by now. I love roos. I want to raise a good one.

Raising them with older hens helps, as does having multiple roosters. I have 15 cockerels/roosters right now and none are aggressive, so it certainly can be done.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I know, I know. It hasn't been 6 weeks. It's only been, like, 2. But look at the difference in comb sizes (sorry for the bad pics).

Chick #1 (Saffron) has very little comb yet is more feathered out. Very mellow little bird.

Chick #2 (Cayenne) has about 2x the comb and half the feathers. Super feisty, too.

It's like their maturing in the exact opposite ways.

 

[Aunt Angus]

They're only 2.5 weeks-ish, but would you just look at the PINK!!!

Level with me, friends: Is Cayenne here a cockerel, or is it still too early?

But isn't that a cutie? I'm in love with these chicks. They're hilarious!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Can't speak to gender, but good luck taming your Leghorns. I got EEs and Brown Leghorns in the same order 3 years ago, and sat with them a couple of times daily and tried to befriend them from Day One. I know I had about 6 BL and maybe a dozen EE. Right from the get-go, those BL wanted nothing to do with me, despite their obvious desire to get some of the mealworms I offered! And it never improved. However, ultimately I ended up with only 8 EE and 5 BL. Their wild nature kept them safer from predators than their EE flockmates.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

PS, personally I agree with you about the combs, but I'm a rank novice so take my opinion with a block of salt!

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Yes - Cayenne is a boy.

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

Y'all are the best! Will do!

I kinda hope I've got a boy. My DH would kill me for purposely bringing home a cockerel, but a "whoops - the hatchery got it wrong" cockerel would make it not my fault, right?

^^^ACCURATE^^^

Congratulations! That is super exciting and cool to see that your hunch turned out to be correct!

 

[T-R-O-U-B-L-E]

You have a cockerel!

 

[Aunt Angus]

You have a cockerel!

Oh, yes - he's a big boy! He mated his first hen today: my lavender Orp, Hyacinth, who has been shunning his advances all week. He must've finally learned some manners!