Help me sex my 4-week-old Partridge Rock! UPDATED at 6 weeks

[Adenium]

This is my Special Chicken. My only one to remain snuggly past the first couple weeks. So of course she/he is the most tenuous on gender. Threads on Partridge Rocks have been few and far between and not all that illustrative - people say roo or pullet but not really why. I have gathered that different breeding stock produces quite a variation in terms of rate of feathering, type of barring, etc. I am suspicious because of 1) wattle development already and 2) it seems that having darker feathers come in suggests a roo. This would break my heart as we can't have them, but at least I could start steeling myself for it now. What do you think?

4 weeks as of yesterday. From My Pet Chicken. Sexed pullet (for whatever that's worth).











OK smartypants of BYC, I am depending on you!

(To tell me it's a pullet.....)

But I won't hate you if you tell me otherwise. I just want to know so I can be prepared. If she's a he, I might stop my lap sessions as it would be too hard to grow more attached and lose him.

Or, you can tell me I must wait a few more weeks to know with greater certainty. But I'm hoping there's something indicative now.

This is the trouble with getting only one of each breed. Sigh.

Oh, and sorry about the dark ugly basement background. DH wasn't around to help, and they haven't been outside yet, so I turned on all the lights I could and made the best of it.

 

[hdowden]

pullet cockerels will look different

 

[Adenium]

Yes, I know, when they're OLDER......but does mine look one way or another at this stage?

 

[vannaHaines]

Looks pullet to me. The comb is yellow. At 4 weeks old I would think they would start reddening up....

 

[ReikiStar]

Going to be a bad guy and say it's a cockerel. 1) The wattle & comb development. 2) As someone who's raised (and is able to keep) 7 roosters, they tend to be more bold and personable as chicks than the pullets. (How many stories have you seen on BYC of someone finding out their "favorite" or "sweetest" chick is now a roo?) 3) At 4 weeks I would expect more tail feather development, and seeing as cockerels feather out more slowly...it's a boy in my opinion. Sorry.

Edited to add...those are some honkin' legs. Big sturdy boy legs.

 

[Adenium]

Yeah, I worried about the slow feathering too. I was hoping it was just a Partridge Rock thing, as they seem to be a lot slower in that department than many others. My BO and Barred Rock are pretty much fully feathered already, but there's no other Partridge to compare to. I think it was cybercat who mentioned something about having some tail development by 4 weeks indicated pullet, but I believe they were breeding their own stock and it was probably more consistent in their line.

The other two also have pretty thick legs, but I'm pretty certain at least one is a pullet. That'll be my next thread....

Boo hoo. Anyone else want to weigh in and tell ReikiStar they're dead flat out wrong?

 

[Adenium]

This is my Special Chicken. My only one to remain snuggly past the first couple weeks. So of course she/he is the most tenuous on gender. Threads on Partridge Rocks have been few and far between and not all that illustrative - people say roo or pullet but not really why. I have gathered that different breeding stock produces quite a variation in terms of rate of feathering, type of barring, etc. I am suspicious because of 1) wattle development already and 2) it seems that having darker feathers come in suggests a roo. This would break my heart as we can't have them, but at least I could start steeling myself for it now. What do you think?

4 weeks as of yesterday. From My Pet Chicken. Sexed pullet (for whatever that's worth).









OK smartypants of BYC, I am depending on you!

(To tell me it's a pullet.....)

But I won't hate you if you tell me otherwise. I just want to know so I can be prepared. If she's a he, I might stop my lap sessions as it would be too hard to grow more attached and lose him.

Or, you can tell me I must wait a few more weeks to know with greater certainty. But I'm hoping there's something indicative now.

This is the trouble with getting only one of each breed. Sigh.

Oh, and sorry about the dark basement background. DH wasn't around to help, and they haven't been outside yet, so I turned on all the lights I could and made the best of it.

 

[Adenium]

Oh no - I added a poll for the first time and my existing responses disappeared? Oops, it made a whole other thread - didn't realize it would do that and now can't get rid of that. Sorry for the clutter guys.

 

[Majd]

It is a rooster I'm afraid b/c of the feathering structure and shape, I know its disappointing but you should take a decision now!!

 

[dretd]

I was thinking cockerel before I even got to the photo becasue you said this was the friendliest most snuggly one, so it always figures. I still think boy after the photos based on the (slow) feathering and largish comb. Its not bright red yet so there is still hope