EE Gender

[MadGardener]

Howdy peeps! It's been raining way too long so it's as good a time as any to stop being patient.

I picked up some chicks from Rural King about 6 weeks ago, all labeled pullets. These are my first chicks, any thoughts on these two?

Quarter White - from Hoover's Assorted Colored Layer mix. Comb and wattle look dark to me compared to the other chicks. This has been the runt but feathering at comparable rates. Quite timid. In the middle of shot 2.

Butterball - from Hoover's "Americana" bin. Slower feathering than others. Not very timid, but not standing out for bravery either. Comb is appearing a little darker as well on this chick, plus some darker red coming in on the wings.

And a bonus group shot because Chicks are awesome

 

[Tookie]

First chick is a cockerel, not quite sure on the second chick. Could you get a closer pic of the second chicks comb and a better sideview pic?

 

[IvysAnimals]

Butterball looks like a pullet and the first chick also does...not sure though - I would wait another week or so to be definite of all of your chicks genders

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

I disagree. The first chick is a pullet. Butterball looks the most suspicious, update pictures in a week or so

 

[MadGardener]

First chick is a cockerel, not quite sure on the second chick. Could you get a closer pic of the second chicks comb and a better sideview pic?

I can't get Butterball to stay still long enough for a hand-free pic. I'll add some more in a week or if anything changes quickly.

 

[Tookie]

I can't get Butterball to stay still long enough for a hand-free pic. I'll add some more in a week or if anything changes quickly.

Probably a cockerel by the size of the comb and I'm seeing some red patches.

 

[MadGardener]

It's been an eventful week! I have my first broody, but no room for more chicks. The juveniles are now integrated into the adult's pen. So much easier to do chicken chores when there's only one place to walk to.

Quarter White is having some darker wing feathers appear. Comb color seems to vary on all my chicks, but seems to be getting darker here. I find myself thinking "he" when pronouns come up. Interesting pattern on this one, for awhile there was a single brown speckled feather on mostly whitish wings.

Butterball is seeming to do likewise. I really love how this chick is coloring in. If this one turns out to be a cockerel I'm glad to keep a blue egg gene carrier, and this is one of the larger chicks to boot!

And of course, a Buff Orpington is starting to pink up. My most social with humans bird and my first chicken to seek my attention outside of food. It's not a breed I am excited to add to my future mixed breed project. And the first bird I've grown attached to. Sad, but a lesson. I probably won't learn well...I love animals, and babies.

The cluttered run concept is a pain in the butt for mobile chicken keeping, but is working very well. No serious skirmishes so far. My 11ish mo old cockerel thinks he's a hall monitor and likes to yell at them to calm down. Couple more pics while I'm at the desktop.

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

Both are pullets!