Do I seriously have 8 cockerels?

[Tesumph]

I'm enjoying the chatter on this thread so much, I forgot what the OP wanted to know.

Yes, I have been in the sun too long myself

Hahaha! Just sharing my cute but horribly stress inducing chicks with y’all. Excited to see who guessed the plumbing right when they get older.
Glad others are as invested as I am.

 

[Tesumph]

That last pullets, the one that almost broke your neck? What kind is it supposed to be? I have one that's identical, except mine has a tuft of hair like a bluejay on his head. Pretty sure mine is a boy, he's cocky, a bully, and Everytime a bird crows, he's trying to make the others run for the coop.

The last one and the white one are both Easter Eggers. It’s technically not a breed, more of a stewpot of birds with Ameraucana heritage that have green legs like mine and lay green, blue, or pink eggs. They often have muffs/beards and are often mistakingly sold as Ameraucanas, which is an actual pure breed unlike EE’s.

That’s the abridged version anyway, to the best of my knowledge.

 

[AAchicks]

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.

I know pictures don't always represent what you see in person, but the pics you have posted don't really show red combs at this point. I only see pink/orangey combs, even on little snot. His color is what tells me he is a roo (the red bar on his wings!)

 

[Tesumph]

Well, mystery solved, at least for Snothead. Found him strangled under the roost, very obvious rat snake attack. Coop received even more modifications (at this point I don’t know what more I could possibly do) and fake eggs were added.. perhaps a long shot but maybe an egg would be considered an easier target if another snake somehow got in, maybe during a daytime attack.

I also decided to cut the little one open.. I couldn’t bear not knowing what gender he was. And it was a he. So yea, mystery solved.

 

[Kfults]

So sorry for your loss

 

[KikiLeigh02]

I'm so sorry.

Well, mystery solved, at least for Snothead. Found him strangled under the roost, very obvious rat snake attack. Coop received even more modifications (at this point I don’t know what more I could possibly do) and fake eggs were added.. perhaps a long shot but maybe an egg would be considered an easier target if another snake somehow got in, maybe during a daytime attack.

I also decided to cut the little one open.. I couldn’t bear not knowing what gender he was. And it was a he. So yea, mystery solved.

 

[Kiki]

I am sorry Tes.

 

[fur-mum]

I'm so sorry you had to find out that way.

 

[fur-mum]

And I totally agree that the single combed birds can come in at an alarming rate, even in pullets, and that the heat and running around definitely make them more red. So since in your original post you said they were all worked up and being crazy, that could have affected your pics and the comb color. They don't scream cockeral to me either.

 

[Tesumph]

I’m okay, thanks everyone.. mostly concerned about the others now. I have a photo if anyone’s interested but I’m sure that’s not the norm for this part of the forums.

And I totally agree that the single combed birds can come in at an alarming rate, even in pullets, and that the heat and running around definitely make them more red. So since in your original post you said they were all worked up and being crazy, that could have affected your pics and the comb color. They don't scream cockeral to me either.

I hope you’re right. At this rate I’m scared I’ll only end up with 4 or less pullets.. I wanted at least 6.
I highly suspect two of the buff orpingtons.