Everyone's favorite game, hen or roo, with my perplexing Speckled Sussex

[Minoxie]

This is "Pronto", our 9 week old Speckled Sussex. We purchased 5 chicks this year that were vent sexed by our hatchery. l've read everywhere that Sussexes can be challenging to sex. Husband is convinced she is a hen-- I think she's a rooster. Her comb developed at around 5 weeks, but then stopped growing and reddening. Though in the last week, her wattles have gotten a little bigger than they were (but she also finally moved into the coop & run full time this week!) Last photo is of the feathers right above her tail-- she's at the age where she'd just be growing saddle feathers, right? They seem skinny but not pointy. It's our first time with chickens, so l'd love any other opinions


Thanks!

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

100% a cockerel. A pullet wouldn’t get a large and red comb like that until around 16 weeks

 

[Ecarroll]

Definitely cockerel, pullets will not being growing large red combs or wattles for quite a while, around laying age.

 

[RubelliteRose]

For a reference, this is a picture of our Speckled Sussex hen when she was 9 weeks old

 

[ChickQueen77]

a cockerel

 

[Goskeaton]

Hi, I'm the wife who was definitely right. Yeah, this bird started crowing last night

 

[Seaslug]

So speckled sussex roosters and hens have the same feathering/coloring? Are there other breeds where the genders essentially look the same?

 

[Campshappy]

This is "Pronto", our 9 week old Speckled Sussex. We purchased 5 chicks this year that were vent sexed by our hatchery. l've read everywhere that Sussexes can be challenging to sex. Husband is convinced she is a hen-- I think she's a rooster. Her comb developed at around 5 weeks, but then stopped growing and reddening. Though in the last week, her wattles have gotten a little bigger than they were (but she also finally moved into the coop & run full time this week!) Last photo is of the feathers right above her tail-- she's at the age where she'd just be growing saddle feathers, right? They seem skinny but not pointy. It's our first time with chickens, so l'd love any other opinions


Thanks!View attachment 4133908

Boy. It has larger wattles than my adult speckled Sussex. I always get roos when I get something from a hatchery

 

[Ecarroll]

So speckled sussex roosters and hens have the same feathering/coloring? Are there other breeds where the genders essentially look the same?

Many breeds have the same feathering colors/patterns in Roos and hens. And at this age their is not yet really any feather structure difference.