Cuckoo Marans chick sexing?

[fluffpuffgerbil]

I've been seeing that Cuckoo Marans can be sexed as young chicks by down colour+leg wash(?) +dot on head? I know nothing's set in stone or exact, especially when it comes to hatchery/feed store chicks.

I just picked this little girl up today:






She's probably a few days old. I shouldn't be paranoid this soon but already I like this chick a lot and already have to get rid of my current rooster.

It's from a hatchery/feed store so I know rules are a bit wonky with those. All of the cuckoo marans had big head spots I believe and all were sexed as pullets. I didn't look too hard at this breed picking one out, I just told the lady I'd get one and she grabbed it, I looked it over, okay'd it, and here we are.

It's probably way too early to know for certain, but thought I'd ask anyway *rooster paranoia*

 

[fluffpuffgerbil]

She looks more black in person to be honest, my camera's flash washes out colour a LOT

 

[chooks4life]

So far looks female to me. Not a purebred expert though.

Best wishes.

 

[ChickenPox]

I always thought it was the smaller the "dot," the better chance it was a girl. I can't remember exactly what my babies looked like, but I ended up with more roos than anything else, and remember seeing more large head dots like this little one has. Go back and grab ya another one now with a teeny spot and you will have a better chance of getting a girl. You should be able to tell better once the feathers come in......the cuckoo pattern is MUCH more defined in the boys and very dark and muted out in the girls. I had 7 babies from the hatchery.....one died before I knew what it was, but I only ended up with 2 girls out of the other 6. (The 4 boys went to be dinner. LOL!)

 

[fluffpuffgerbil]

Uhoh. It does seem to have a lot of personality too. Maybe instead of buying another marans I could see if they have their polish in =P I wad hoping Kenna would look either like a girl or too young to sex. Her wings are pretty light, too... but everything I've read says large headspot=boy. I guess I'll find out in a few weeks

 

[Saerasx]

Any updates for your little marans?

 

[Cyan Night]

Looks like a boy to me :/
But hopefully it'll be a little girl!

 

[Saerasx]

Any opinions? "She" is on the bottom there

 

[ChickenPox]

Sae, I would guess girl.

 

[clankeyes]

So I am interested in the DOT theory .... I have 2 cockoo marans that are 5 wks old. I bought them from a gal the day they arrived from a hatchery. She stated they were all Pullets.
WE will see I guess.