Do I seriously have 8 cockerels?

[AAchicks]

I agree the little snot is a roo. Off with his hea.... oh, wait. Gotta keep it pg

 

[Kfults]

 

[Tesumph]

They are really too young.
Please post pics of their combs at six weeks.

Yep, this is just curious documentation.. for science.
I suspect many will still be iffy at 6 weeks, clearly the combs and wattles are not a black and white indicator here.

 

[aart]

Did a little photoshopping here.
Eyeliner and breast feather color say pullet....
....but the size and color of wattle at 4wo scream cockerel.

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

Yep, this is just curious documentation.. for science.
I suspect many will still be iffy at 6 weeks, clearly the combs and wattles are not a black and white indicator here.

Yes, sometimes they are iffy. I'm leaning more towards males for these birds, just because they have the red wattles, but it's not always definite, and they are still young. I don't like to say this or that at such a young age unless I'm positive.

 

[Kiki]

Did a little photoshopping here.
Eyeliner and breast feather color say pullet....
....but the size and color of wattle at 4wo scream cockerel.

View attachment 1502384

Wouldn't the breast color alone make it a female for sure though?

 

[aart]

Wouldn't the breast color alone make it a female for sure though?

I would think so....but those wattles....

 

[Tesumph]

I was fully bracing for everyone to say they were cockerels, as that seems to be the gospel passed around in the gender forum: any redness or hint of comb/wattles under a certain age is a boy. Going by that, all of mine seem to be packing.
Doesn’t sound right to me.
My panic has subsided.. now I’m just curious. If they’re all boys, I’ll have learned my lesson. If not, well I hope the photos will be useful to others.

Here’s some photos from a hand feeding sesh this morning. Trying to catch Snothead yesterday left them wary.
I can finally tell the three buff orps apart.. Floppy has his head in my hand, I think he’s probably a cockerel.

A jay was flying around behind me and someone kept sounding the alarm.

Whitey’s got one smudgey feather coming in on the wing that you can barely see. Pretty cute.

 

[aart]

Going by that, all of mine seem to be packing.

They sure do seem to be!!

I keep thinking about this....it's gotta be the heat down there......time will tell.
I know older pullets close to POL can go redder with excitement/exertion then pale back out when they clam down..can drive ya nuts!

 

[Tesumph]

They sure do seem to be!!

I keep thinking about this....it's gotta be the heat down there......time will tell.
I know older pullets close to POL can go redder with excitement/exertion then pale back out when they clam down..can drive ya nuts!

Exactly what I’m thinking.. check out the welsummer’s comb in that second pic above. That was this morning before it got really hot. Looks a little less crazy at that angle and in that lighting, huh?

On Wednesday they turn 5 weeks, I think I’m going to try and take pics of each one individually then.