Help - guessing the gender of my mixed flock

[Roosteria]

Heya,
so I finaly found some time to post some pics and ask the big question - what gender do you believe my almost 11 weeks old chicks are? They're a mixed flock, probably none of them is a pure breed, since the guy who I got them from keeps a big flock of different breeds together. Possible breeds in the mix: Altsteirer (a.k.a. Styrian chickens), naked neck, some italian breed (he just called them ''italians''), araucana, dorking or similar-looking hybrids, they also kept silkies in their flock and some look a bit like Kraienköppe hens. Might be some more traditional european heritage breeds in the mix.

There's 14 of them and I'm pretty much sure about 4 young roos, but I'll be more than happy if you say there's less... I'll not be able to keep more than 2 of them, so some hard decisions will have to be made rather soon, in a month or so I believe. And I still hope (in a kind of paranoia that they'll all turn male in the end ) for as many pullets as possible.

I'd really appreciate every input about their gender and also if you have any clue, which breed might be in the mix of at least some of them. For example - breeder said there's araucanas and the two grey ones might be partly araucana, but I really don't see it in them (it doesn't really matter to me, but I'd maybe try keep that dominant green egg gene...). Thanks in adavance!

Here we go:
1 - THE roo, he had this huge comb since the day I got him, unlike all the others, whose combs were tiny. Very gentle, inquisitive and not near the top of the pecking order, tho has become more assertive in the last few days.


2 - I believe roo number two. The boss, keeps everything in check atm. Breeder said possible araucana mix.


3 - also a roo, I think. N. 2's buddy, running around all the time in the most funny manner, looks clumsy. Also possible araucana according to breeder. (He managed to get some filth on his wing right in time for our photo session...)


4 - the tiniest of them all since I got them. Turned into an obvious roo, grew a crest on his head and some gorgeous shiny green/blue + red feathers. Very feisty, stands his ground against mates who're almost double his size. Might be one of those to keep.


Now we're moving to the ones I'm really not sure about. Might be their size/feathers/color, but in some cases I just can't figure what gender they are.

5 - This one is one of the biggest, but to my inexperienced eye still looks like a possible pullet, except sometimes its behaviour (spars with the roos etc.).


6 - One of the colorful couple. Can't make up my mind about it. This one and the next are bigger than most of the others (but might be just the breed...). Tail feathering seems inconclusive to me. Behaviour - quite calm, likes to forage and stray ahead while foraging, I'd lean pullet.


7 - The second one. Similar to the previous in most of the aspects. (But notice that green in the tail - do pullets have such shiny tails?)


8 - The brown with feathered feet. Has a deep "voice", which stands out from the flock. Only have these 2 pics unfortunately and it's the one on the left in the second photo.


9 - I'd personally say pullet, but mostly the tail keeps me questioning myself. It seems the colors make the hackle feathers look more pointy, though they seem quite round to me.



10 - I'd again say pullet, but the tail feathers are just weird. Not nice and round, so again - help!


11 - I hope she's a pullet. Near the top of the pecking order, but acts more like a pullet and doesn't make a big fuss about anything, calm. Started getting this colorful sheen all over the body in the last week or so, before that was just black.


12 - The unsolved riddle. So hard to compare this one to any other, since all the important features but the comb are missing! It's big! Also its feet are quite large in comparison, but I probably never saw it spar with other roos or seen anysign it's a male. Althought itmakes a deeper, different sound than others, maybe similar to a turkey. Guess that's why "turken"...


13 - This one is I think almost certainly a pullet, although it's the only one that pecks at my hand from time to time, nothing serious but shows her attitude...


14 - And the last one, my favourite, if I'm judging by their character. Very friendly and never panics if I pick her up or anything. High in the pecking order, but acting really calm.


That's it! I'd appologize for so many photos but in the end this forum is all about them! Hope you enjoyed and I look forward to all the info and input from you. One more for the end:

(Their enclosed run isn't finished yet, that's why the bare ground and this ugly mess.)

 

[Lemon-Drop]

1. Cockerel.
2. I think cockerel, the copper in the wings makes me think that.
3. Cockerel same reasons as above.
4. cockerel.
5. Pullet.
6. Pullet
7.Pullet
8. Pullet
9. Pullet.
10. Pullet
11. Pullet
12. Pullet
13. Pullet
14. Pullet.
For the pullets I’m mostly going off of the comb size and redness, because I believe a cockerel would have a much redder comb. Just my opinion though. I am also not an expert, and there are plenty of more experienced people on here than me. I think I agree with your guesses.

I also thought that saddles and hackles don’t grow in until 12+weeks?

 

[Roosteria]

1. Cockerel.
2. I think cockerel, the copper in the wings makes me think that.
3. Cockerel same reasons as above.
4. cockerel.
5. Pullet.
6. Pullet
7.Pullet
8. Pullet
9. Pullet.
10. Pullet
11. Pullet
12. Pullet
13. Pullet
14. Pullet.
For the pullets I’m mostly going off of the comb size and redness, because I believe a cockerel would have a much redder comb. Just my opinion though. I am also not an expert, and there are plenty of more experienced people on here than me. I think I agree with your guesses.

I also thought that saddles and hackles don’t grow in until 12+weeks?

Thanks for your comment! Yeah, I agree, they probably grow later and I'm impatient, but I'm nontheless trying to pay attention also to these two parts. Some were slower to feather, some faster, the difference was quite visible too, so on the lookout for them early bloomers

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Thanks for your comment! Yeah, I agree, they probably grow later and I'm impatient, but I'm nontheless trying to pay attention also to these two parts. Some were slower to feather, some faster, the difference was quite visible too, so on the lookout for them early bloomers

The wait is absolutely unbearable! I started posting when mine were 4 weeks... been doing weekly updates since! (Yes, I’m very impatient!)

 

[Roosteria]

The wait is absolutely unbearable! I started posting when mine were 4 weeks... been doing weekly updates since! (Yes, I’m very impatient!)

Haha, hope we both figure it out soon enough then, before we start dreaming about it

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

1- dorking mix cockerel, possibly mixed with leghorn (I’m assuming that the “Italians” are leghorns, since I’ve seen them called Italian leghorns or just Italians before. However, I could very easily be wrong.)
2- cockerel, I don’t see any araucana traits, but he could be a mix of mixes
3- cockerel, same as #2
4- Altsteirer mix cockerel, could be mixed with araucana (if he doesn’t grow tail feathers)
5- dorking mix and/or Kraienköppe mix pullet
6- dorking mix(?) pullet
7- dorking mix and/or Kraienköppe mix pullet
8- pullet
9- pullet
10- pullet
11- araucana mix (if her tail ends up pointing down) pullet
12- naked neck mix pullet, possibly mixed with araucana (if she doesn’t grow a tail)
13- dorking mix pullet
14- Altsteirer mix pullet

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Haha, hope we both figure it out soon enough then, before we start dreaming about it

I already am dreaming about it!

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

I also thought that saddles and hackles don’t grow in until 12+weeks?

They can grow in earlier, 12+ weeks is just the general rule since it’s more common.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

They can grow in earlier, 12+ weeks is just the general rule since it’s more common.

Oh ok! I’m really not very experienced.

 

[Roosteria]

1- dorking mix cockerel, possibly mixed with leghorn (I’m assuming that the “Italians” are leghorns, since I’ve seen them called Italian leghorns or just Italians before. However, I could very easily be wrong.)
2- cockerel, I don’t see any araucana traits, but he could be a mix of mixes
3- cockerel, same as #2
4- Altsteirer mix cockerel, could be mixed with araucana (if he doesn’t grow tail feathers)
5- dorking mix and/or Kraienköppe mix pullet
6- dorking mix(?) pullet
7- dorking mix and/or Kraienköppe mix pullet
8- pullet
9- pullet
10- pullet
11- araucana mix (if her tail ends up pointing down) pullet
12- naked neck mix pullet, possibly mixed with araucana (if she doesn’t grow a tail)
13- dorking mix pullet
14- Altsteirer mix pullet

Wow, great! Thanks for taking the time and being so precise. Was actually thinking 4 and 11 make more sense to be a bit araucana.
Anyway, really glad you both said only 4 cockerels