Do you think that we could we have a rooster?

[plwebb]

My sister-in-law and I are raising some chicks. We got 4 (what were supposed to be girls) on May 19 that were about 2-3 days old at the time. So they're about 2 weeks old now. They're over at my SIL's house next door and she just emailed me to ask me to inquire here.
She said... "Twice I have heard a noise that sounds like a dirty sliding door screeching open. Ask in the forum how old baby cockerels are when they start making the pathetic noise that they hope will be a "cock-a-doodle-doo"???"

Is it possible that one of the chicks is a baby rooster?

 

[plwebb]

Here is the picture of the Silver Laced Wyandotte that we think is the culprit. The comb is bright red. http://www.flickr.com/photos/plwebb/5777816981/lightbox/

This image is of the other Silver Laced Wyandotte and it's comb is not bright red but more "dry looking". http://www.flickr.com/photos/plwebb/5777809039/lightbox/

 

[Padfoot417]

It's possible you could just have a vocal chick on your hands.Addressing the breed,they can be rather sassy so the vocalizing could be just to establish that early "pecking-order".All in all the cockerals won't show themselves until about 5-6 weeks when they start crowing.But there's a basic trick you can do that helped me determine my girls when they turned 3 weeks.
1.Take the chicks out and place them on the kitchen floor,let them roam for a few minutes
2.drop a hat and watch the reactions
Hens will usually turn and run or shrink down,but the cockerels will look up or go to investigate.It's their most basic instinct to protect their flock.
Good luck!

 

[plwebb]

Thanks for the info Padfoot, we'll check them out. I still wonder about the difference in the comb colors though. Time will tell!

 

[WhySayWhat]

Generally, I think it all depends on the breed of the chick. My BR developed a slightly larger and more red comb early on (like 4 weeks old) and my SLW girls are still very pale almostyellow in their combs. None of them have really started developing waddles yet, though this week they have started. All three are pullets(based on other people's photos of their roos at younger ages). Good luck!

 

[plwebb]

Thank you WSW

What really makes us suspicious is that we have 2 SLWs, one has a bright red comb and the other has a pale pinkish comb.