Does pink/red wattles at 5 weeks mean cockerel?

Jun 9, 2023
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These chicks have us going crazy guessing. We know we will eventually find out but several have red to dark pink wattles and a more pink comb. One is very obviously a boy. He's much bigger and has a larger comb and dark colored wattles.
3 other chicks have small wattles but they looked dark. Then, even more bizarre.. as they settled down to nap on us.. the wattles lightened up to skin color! I don't know what is going on with this wattle business but we thought one was a girl at least.

Photos 1 and 2 are of obvious cockerel.
Photos 3-5 are of the one we thought was a pullet.. but then saw this red/pink comb and wattles.
Photos 6-11 are 2 we thought were boys until the wattles turned back to skin color instead of red/pink
Photos 12-14 are 1 of those chicks in previous photos with darker wattles and slight pink comb. How did the wattles just suddenly turn back to skin color like they were never dark?

Is it a cockerel thing to get red wattles and then it disappears? I've not seen this before.
 

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The first one is definitely a cockerel, like you said. I think the two with rose (flat) combs are also cockerels, because their combs are quite big for their age. The one with the single (pointy) comb I think is a pullet.

Chicks' wattles are brighter in color when they're moving around or warm, and they get paler when they're relaxing or colder. That would explain some of the color change you're seeing.
 

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