Help! I can no longer Keep Silent!

[Wateredgarden11]

Ok please someone help me. Five weeks ago after lurking on BYC for a few weeks my DH stopped at TSH and came home with 6 chicks. He said the girl told him they were Gold Sex links. Dual purpose Layers. He was so happy and excited to finally have chicks. He has worked on the coop and run every night after working long hours at his job. As the weeks have gone by I have had this awful suspicion that at times has made me laugh and at other times brought me to tears. I HAVE NOT shared with him my suspicion yet!
Gold Sex link chickens..well from what I have read here on BYC..if they are hens they should be yellow with some red markings. All those chicks were pale yellow with white wings. Its five weeks now and these chicken's feathers are white..not a bit of red on em. I have this sinking terrible suspicion that we have roosters! Oy! QWe live in town! No roosters and for that matter..we never wanted roosters. LOL
This has to be the all time most ridiculous question ie story on BYC! How do I tell my husband that he has brought us home roosters instead of hens? I see-saw back and forth between laughing and mortification. Like I said..we both are new to chickens. I wanted to order RIR or Plymouth Rock but when HD came home with them...he was so happy..I did not have heart to say much. Looking at all the pics on here of baby chicks..evertime I see a chick that looks like ours..everyone says its a male and worse yet..all gold sex links chick pictures on here have some striping or bronze red. Our chickens are pale yellow and now white feathers. Please someone with knowledge click on my BYC page and tell me if we have actually been raising roosters. I will have to somehow " break" the news to hubby and the next issue will be what to do with them. Also is it too late now to order chicks for the year? I am just moritfied..been reading and looking at pictures and trying to get guts up to finally post and ask this question..exposing SUCH ignorance. I know those who are experts at raising chickens no doubt are snickering or laughing and I can't blame you..this is hysterical in a way. I have my fingers crossed that these are in fact some strange form..lol of hens..Please somebody take a look and let me know. Tried to post the image here. Hope it works. Please someone tell me the truth..lol I think I can take it.

 

[Feathers Acres]

Mmm...looks like a cornish to me.

 

[emmalynn]

From the picture, they look like my Cornish X that we have plans on eating. The only way I can tell girls from boys is by the comb size and how quickly the wattles and comb turn red. I wish you luck and if you end up with roosters, talk with BYCers in your area and I'm sure someone would help.

 

[Reinbeau]

Well, that's no sex link, but it doesn't look like a cockerel, either. Someone breed-smart will be able to tell you what she actually is.

 

[sunshineinsc]

I'm not saying its a rooster but it doesn't look anything like my gold sexlink hens.

 

[cindyanne1]

Well... I'm no expert but if that is a sex-linked chicken (I call them red sex links... I wonder if those are the same as the gold?) then I don't think that is a female.

BUT it sort of looks like it might be a white Rock or perhaps Leghorn? I dunno... but I think if it was a rooster, then you'd be seeing more comb development, etc. by now? Maybe?

TSC is horrible about labeling the chicks correctly. It's quite possible your DH brought home some chicks out of the "assorted pullets" bin that the staff *assumed* were all sex-links, but some of them could have been Leghorns or Rocks.

Anyway, if worst comes to worst, and you have to get rid of all of your chickens, it's not too late to order what you want! MyPetChicken.com has some available well into July!

Good luck!

 

[gumpsgirl]

Maybe he brought home leghorns instead?

The red comb at just 5 wks. though makes me a bit suspicious.

My fingers are crossed that is what happened anyways.

 

[Cetawin]

ummmm that looks like a meatie aka cornish or leghorn. Just not sure but it is not a sex link. At 6 weeks old...you will know soon....my roo crowed at 9 weeks old...some have crowed at 7 weeks old.

 

[Feathers Acres]

Quote:
Pshh i've had some crow at 1 week, weirdest sound I ever heard!

 

[CoopCrazy]

I agree with feathers.. I dont think you need to neccasarily worry about boys, you need to worry he got meat chickens.. Big difference.. but just think in a few weeks you'll have some good eatin and then you can get your RIR or Plymouths...