Gender identification

[PanosGR]

Hello there, I have a 3 months old chicken but I find it difficult to identify the sex of it. Here are some images for you to help me with the identification. Your help will be greatly appreciated, PS: This is not a specific breed, this is a combination of 2 hybrids. Please leave your answer below it would help me a lot, Thanks!!!

 

[JedJackson]

Probably a cockerel with that amount of comb/wattle growth and color so early.

 

[PanosGR]

Probably a cockerel with that amount of comb/wattle growth and color so early.

Having a cockerel would be the worst scenario as my neighbors will not like it. Can you take a look at its tail and neck feathers? Is it possible for a pullet to develop comb and wattles as early as 3 months of age?

 

[JedJackson]

Having a cockerel would be the worst scenario as my neighbors will not like it. Can you take a look at its tail and neck feathers? Is it possible for a pullet to develop comb and wattles as early as 3 months of age?

It's a touch early for male specific feathering, and it would be difficult to see on an all white bird. However, it appears to be a Leghorn, and the females of that breed do get big combs and wattles. I dunno, it's been a while since I've had Leghorns, but my bet is that it's a cockerel. Maybe @The Moonshiner can help you since he's the expert on Leghorns.

 

[PanosGR]

It's a touch early for male specific feathering, and it would be difficult to see on an all white bird. However, it appears to be a Leghorn, and the females of that breed do get big combs and wattles. I dunno, it's been a while since I've had Leghorns, but my bet is that it's a cockerel. Maybe @The Moonshiner can help you since he's the expert on Leghorns.

Well its not a leghorn. I don't know what are the breeds in both of the parents, but this chicken is the offspring of this rooster:

And this hen:

 

[PanosGR]

I have no idea how it has white feathers it is really confusing.

 

[NatJ]

I have no idea how it has white feathers it is really confusing.

I have a pretty good idea how it got the white feathers.

The father is blue (genetically a black chicken, with the "blue" gene changing the black to a shade of gray.) The chick got the genes for all-black from him, either with or without the blue.

The mother has a white tail, right? (I can't see it in the photo.) If she has a white tail, she has a gene that turns black to white. So she could give that gene to the chick, making it white instead of black or blue.

Well its not a leghorn. I don't know what are the breeds in both of the parents, but this chicken is the offspring of this rooster:

Considering how big the rooster's comb is, he might have produced a daughter that would show a large comb at an early age. The mother might be some kind of production hybrid, which would give genes for early maturity, which would also cause a large comb at a young age (as compared with some other chickens that mature more slowly).

I think there is a chance of the chick being a female, but there is also a chance of it being a male. You will probably just have to wait longer and see how it develops.

 

[PanosGR]

I have a pretty good idea how it got the white feathers.

The father is blue (genetically a black chicken, with the "blue" gene changing the black to a shade of gray.) The chick got the genes for all-black from him, either with or without the blue.

The mother has a white tail, right? (I can't see it in the photo.) If she has a white tail, she has a gene that turns black to white. So she could give that gene to the chick, making it white instead of black or blue.


Considering how big the rooster's comb is, he might have produced a daughter that would show a large comb at an early age. The mother might be some kind of production hybrid, which would give genes for early maturity, which would also cause a large comb at a young age (as compared with some other chickens that mature more slowly).

I think there is a chance of the chick being a female, but there is also a chance of it being a male. You will probably just have to wait longer and see how it develops.

That is a very clear explanation which makes sense if you think how genes work. I just searched about the hen and she appears to be a hybrid egg laying chicken called "ISA Brown" I don't know if this is 100% true but it could be. On the other hand I am unable to find the breed of the rooster. This means the offspring is not a breed am I right?

 

[Chive]

That is a very clear explanation which makes sense if you think how genes work. I just searched about the hen and she appears to be a hybrid egg laying chicken called "ISA Brown" I don't know if this is 100% true but it could be. On the other hand I am unable to find the breed of the rooster. This means the offspring is not a breed am I right?

I think the rooster is a Blue Andalusian.

 

[PanosGR]

I think the rooster is a Blue Andalusian.

It looks identical!