Gender

[Gammond]

Just double checking that this is a rooster.... reason being is that it has a small comb and no waddles? It's from a very mixed flock though so that might explain it.

 

[Chicken Girl1]

Yes, it looks like a rooster. How old is it? The comb is probably a pea comb or a rose comb.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

That looks like saddle feathers and some red bars on the wings, so my thought is yes, definitely rooster.

Agree the comb is pale and small, even for a rose or pea (hard to see in photo).

What age is the bird?

There is a slim chance it could be a hen as it comes from a very mixed flock. I have had mixed girls get some red in wing spots that later blends into a female pattern. The saddle feathers look fairly convincing, but the photo is small and a bit grainy.

My best guess is rooster....and you might check to make sure he is getting enough food and not having problems with parasites or coccidia as to the reason for looking a bit anemic.

LofMc

 

[Gammond]

16 weeks. They are offered chick grower, layer rationing, and grain 24/7. They also get grits and food scraps. How can you spot an anemic looking chicken? A pale comb?

 

[Gammond]

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi.

That looks like a boy to me as far as saddle feathers go. Comb and waddles look awfully small for 16 weeks.

Problem with feeding so many feeds is you don't know who's getting what nutrients. What is the age of the rest of your flock? I feed a 20% protein flock raiser to accommodate my mixed age and gender flock. And offer oyster shell free choice on the side for layers. 4% calcium (in layer feed) for non layers such as chicks, roos, or molting hens is too much and can cause kidney issues including a type of gout in the long term. Chick grower won't cause problems for the hens as long as you provide oyster shell on the side. Which again, you should be doing since you don't know who's getting which nutrient in your mix and the layers will need the ratio in order to maintain good health and laying.

When you say they have access to the feed 24/7, do you mean you keep a light on them all the time?

Another indicater of hen verses cockerel is often the pullets will walk around cackling a lot, kind of like "squawk walk walk walk". And at 16 weeks should be crowing any time. Any other crowing examples in your flock? My first crowers were my latest and subsequent one all had examples and started a little earlier.

 

[Gammond]

Hi.

That looks like a boy to me as far as saddle feathers go. Comb and waddles look awfully small for 16 weeks.

Problem with feeding so many feeds is you don't know who's getting what nutrients. What is the age of the rest of your flock? I feed a 20% protein flock raiser to accommodate my mixed age and gender flock. And offer oyster shell free choice on the side for layers. 4% calcium (in layer feed) for non layers such as chicks, roos, or molting hens is too much and can cause kidney issues including a type of gout in the long term. Chick grower won't cause problems for the hens as long as you provide oyster shell on the side. Which again, you should be doing since you don't know who's getting which nutrient in your mix and the layers will need the ratio in order to maintain good health and laying.

When you say they have access to the feed 24/7, do you mean you keep a light on them all the time?

Another indicater of hen verses cockerel is often the pullets will walk around cackling a lot, kind of like "squawk walk walk walk". And at 16 weeks should be crowing any time. Any other crowing examples in your flock? My first crowers were my latest and subsequent one all had examples and started a little earlier.

This is excellent advice! Thanks! I will switch them to flock raiser as soon as I run out of this bag. Do you mean have oyster shells available 24/7 as well? (We don't keep a light on all the time - it's set on a timer to add a few more hours rather than be dark at 4:00pm)

We also have a pan of gravel out - they seem to eat a lot of it - what do you think about this? We could mix the oyster shells in with the gravel instead of just throwing some out once a day.

I havn't heard the small roosters crow yet! I have seen one of the 12 week olds trying to breed his mom though.

 

[rmurrayslcut]

Hackle feathers look slight for 16 weeks, but they're definitely there. You'll know in about two weeks for sure.

 

[donrae]

Cockerel.

 

[junebuggena]

Oyster shell should be offered separately. And layer feed should never be offered to birds that aren't actively laying. Scratch grains are an extra and should be kept to a minimum.