Early (early, early) roo clues?

[StPaulieGirls]

For the love of mercy. How is it that when I only buy two chicks at a time from the *pullet* bin, I end up with one roo? My odds hover around 50-50. I think it's happened again, but maybe it's too early to tell...

My EE chicks are 2 wks old. Just got them Monday from the feed store which gets them from MM. I picked the (roo?) chick because it was active and healthy and didn't pay enough attention to some early possible secondary sex traits. Argh. Now it's suspect of maleness:

-it's bigger, eating more and growing faster than the littler chick
-it's flappier and hates being picked up
-it's got nice sturdy legs (proportionate to its body)
-it has wing feathers but no shoulder epaulets, yet
- it has teeeeeeeny bumps in the, er, 'combal' area

and the only thing going for it in the feminine department is that:

-it has two nice tail feathers coming in, which has happened first with my couple of pullets in the past

Here are pix. The chick in question is the lighter one on the left…

(on the left) “Do my legs make me look like a boy?”

(on the left) See? No shoulder feathers and I’m SO big. but I do have those two nice bumfeathers...

Anyone want to lay early bets on my pa'roo'noia?

Have a beautiful day, all!

- Kerri

 

[SterlingAcres]

I don't know... but I'll keep an eye on your thread. I've got almost 2 week olds that are very rooish as well.

 

[the1much]

both boys.

 

[StPaulieGirls]

Both boys?!?!

What makes you think both?

Oh, dear...

- Kerri

 

[earthy_chicks]

I have the exact same situation happening with my two EE chicks! Here are my optimistc thoughts. 1. EE's are like mutts right? So the chicks have different genes at play and might grow and feather in differently. 2. If you're right about these signs, at least the other one isn't showing them

 

[the1much]

no "tails",,,,is my guess ,, ive been watching all of mine,,,,,,this old lady told me , that when their little,,,,the ones with short tails are the mails,, and the long tails the hens.,,,,and i have a bunch that have much longer tails then they look like they have.,,, mine are older now,,, but even at a week you could tell the difference in tails if you had the "opposite" standing there next to it.
BUT..... its just a guess,,,,sometimes i cant remember which chick i was keeping an eye on to see,,haha

 

[the1much]

i have a whole yard of "mutts" haha,,even the ones that i know what they are,,,sometimes mess with my head,,haha,,,the wiferz was reading last night and said that this 1 site said that after the newborns are dried off,,,if you pick 1 feather,,and seperate it so you can see it good,,,,that a boys feather will be "puffy" from the very start,,, and a girls will be flat for a strand or 2,, then go puffy.,, im SURE that if she said that he said that they said that we said i have no idea

 

[Gindee77]

I can't see the comb on the one on the right, but the one on the left looks like it has a pullet's comb...or one row of "peas" in her pea comb. That was a surefire way to tell with my EE's. I kept all the one with one row of peas and they are all girls. I don't think your chick has thick legs, but it's sort of hard to tell.

Get some clear close up photos of their legs and combs and it will be easier to tell.

Very cute babies!!!