Etienne, the androgynous FBCM

[julskinka]

I hatched out 3 FBCMs nearly 12 weeks ago. Two of them were obvious from the get-go as to which sex.

Baguette was dark-combed, passive, low-postured skittish, fast-feathering (especially her tail) and has only just begun coppering in around her neck - nothing on the breast, shoulders, or wings. Her comb is still small and pale.

Bagette @ 4 weeks

Baguette @6 weeks

Dejéuner was bold, aggressive, upright, slow-feathering (bare shoulders, no tail for a long time!) with thick legs. His comb was larger at hatch and started blowing up red and thick by week 8 or 9.

Dejéuner @ 4 weeks

Dejéuner @ 6 weeks

Dejéuner @ 10 weeks

Etienne is somewhere in between these two. Ze initially feathered in the same as Baguette, had a similar temperament and posture, so I thought girl. But then around week 5-6, the comb started looking bigger (but still pale) and the legs thicker, and ze started getting copper on the wings and breast. At 12 weeks now its comb is firmly in between tiny Bagette and huge Dejéuner, and the coloring may just be mossy, so I’m at a loss.

Etienne @ 4 weeks

Etienne @ 6 weeks (the angle is bad but it has full, flat tail feathers here, and is facing toward the camera )

Etienne @ 11-12 weeks

All 3 at 11 weeks ... Dejéuner (L), Etienne (C), Baguette (R)

So, what do we make of Etienne the ambiguous BCM chick? Mossy female? Less-combed male?

Thanks for your help!

Edited to add photo of Dejéuner @ 10 weeks

 

[Gray Farms]

Slow developing cockerel

 

[aglandaetap]

Etienne is a cockerel

 

[ronott1]

Etienne is a cockerel. The comb and wattles fit and the red in the neck is an indication too.

Expect a juvenile molt soon and when the adult feathers come in you will see:

 

[julskinka]

Ah, bummer! Thanks, though!

 

[julskinka]

Update:

I ended up sending him to freezer camp around 18 weeks. He still hadn’t developed much more comb or wattle, and his tail feathers were still flat although he did have saddle feathers. When I was processing him, I noticed his testicles were TEENSY! So tiny compared to all the others. Maybe he actually was kind of androgynous!

 

[ronott1]

Update:

I ended up sending him to freezer camp around 18 weeks. He still hadn’t developed much more comb or wattle, and his tail feathers were still flat although he did have saddle feathers. When I was processing him, I noticed his testicles were TEENSY! So tiny compared to all the others. Maybe he actually was kind of androgynous!

Good job on processing him!

 

[ShannonR]

I once had a teenage FBCM who bullied the others and crowed... and then started laying eggs. She was one of my original 7 chicks, way back when. Needless to say, it was a pretty confusing experience for a first time chicken owner.

 

[Gray Farms]

Could have been sterile.

 

[drumstick diva]

Poor Stephen (Etienne)