Dominique Help

[ggtexas34111]

I recently purchase 4 "pullets" from a guy and now im starting to the think two of them are roosters.
When I went to pick them up the guy probably had 15 in a pen and all looked alike expect for the one rooster he said he had that was blatantly different.
The first pick is one of the chickens in suspect and the second pic I am pretty sure is a hen.
It's the waddles that has me questioning the sex. They are right around 5 months old.



Any responses would be greatly appreciated,
Thanks
G

 

[islandgirl82]

Those are both pullets. Cockerels are considerably lighter in feather coloring. The more developed comb and wattles means she's maturing faster than the others and will likely begin laying before too long. You'll know she's very close if she takes a sudden interest in the nests.

This is my Dominique cockerel when he was around 5 months old.



And more recent, for color comparison to the two Dominique hens on the upper right.

 

[tequl]

Hen or Roo???

 

[islandgirl82]

Hen or Roo???

It looks young and may be difficult to say though I'd say pullet. You will get more responses if you start a new thread and post this photo and include the age and breed or post it directly in the breed thread.

 

[ggtexas34111]

Ok quite a bit darker.
Thank you makes me feel a little better.

 

[islandgirl82]

Ok quite a bit darker.
Thank you makes me feel a little better.

You're welcome!

Other ways to tell are the hackle feathers. Those are the feathers around the neck. On a cockerel/rooster, they're very long, thin and pointed and lay rather loose whereas on a pullet, they're small, tight against the neck and have rounded tips instead of pointed. Males also have saddle feathers; they are like the hackles but begin on their backs between the wings and drape to either side and at 5 months, you would be seeing these growing in. You can also see the differences in tails (sickle feathers) even at that age.

 

[islandgirl82]

Here's a clearer image of my boy's hackle, saddle and sickle feathers (sickles are still growing in).

 

[ggtexas34111]

Good looking bird.
I am in the process of getting more hens and a really nice rooster.
Dominiquers were the first breed of chicken I can remember as a little guy and still my moms favorite.
Needless to say I need about 15 running around.

 

[islandgirl82]

Thank you. He's very sweet natured too. He likes his daily neck, wattle and chest rubs and even likes to be held (will nestle down on our laps on his own accord if given the chance). Dominiques have rapidly become one of my two favorite breeds and he is much of the reason why.

One great thing about them is they're auto-sexing, meaning you can tell males from females when they hatch instead of having to wait for them to mature a bit.

 

[donrae]

gg, those are pullets. Looks like eggs maybe here soonly.