Day old barred rocks from TSC straight run - how'd I do?

[BlazeJester]

I was having a bad day after losing two more chicks this weekend and caved to the TSC chick bins. I took my chances with the barred rock "straight run" bin... yikes. Fingers crossed. For reference, their chicks come from Mt. Healthy Hatchery.

I have read on here today that:

-males have darker down,
-females have darker down;
-females have regular-shaped head spots, none or very large;
-females have dark wash down their legs...

And yet, when I look at the photos from my first batch of hatchery-sexed BR pullets, they are so very much nonconforming to the rules on this forum that I feel hopeful that I got 2 pullets as intended. I had to buy 6, so I have some wiggle room here. I'm just hoping I got at least two pullets.

I know very well that it's impossible to tell and I will know well enough as the wing feathers start to come in, I just wanted to see what everyone else thinks. I'll add a picture of my definite girls, My Pet Chicken BRs 2009, for comparison purposes. I would love to see pics of your day-olds as well to compare.






The absolutely for sure ladies at 1 day old/arrival:

 

[BlazeJester]

I had to dispatch one because of extremely loud, incessant screaming. I have never heard a chick peep that loudly. I brood in my bedroom and my roommate works from home, so waiting it out was not an option. TSC said they wouldn't swap it out or take it back - I explained and begged but they said that is "against their policy". Pretty sure that was a male as it spent all afternoon attacking my finger.

So of the 5 remaining chicks, IF feather sexing is legitimate I have 3 pullets and 2 cockerels (one of the "cockerels" in question also attacks my finger quite zealously). Of these 5 chicks the length of the feathers is very very notably different between the two "sets" - though I suppose if they are not bred to be feather sexed, this could also be due to chance.

 

[Pele]

Birds calm down in a dark environment until you can figure out what is wrong........ they really have no other way of telling you they need something other than peeping.......