HELP needed sexing my various breeds! (pic HEAVY)

[SoCalChicky]

New to all of this!

Bought tons of fertile eggs all hatched either 5/18 or 5/21.

BCM and Blue Marans from Indigo Ridge. Thanks Dana! Others from neighbor and Barnavelder breeder. All were hatched in a classroom incu for my boys' kinder class.
All except my 2 Orph bought as chicks from Chickens Galore, and my silver laced Wyandotte and Australorp chicks from a local feed store (hatched within a couple days of my hatch).

First off here's the coop we built! Yay! Needs trim, paint, and a run!


Suggestions welcome for what I need on the front...something is missing...I'm thinking shutters or rooster sillhouette? There will be a tree fort on top if anyone is wondering what all the wood on top is for. Husband's project. Yes it's very tall...aaaanyway...


I would love help sexing these cuties...I'm basing it mostly on their combs, correct? I dunno with all the expertise around here I figured I'd have someone who just knows instantly! Any thoughts?? Thank u in advance!!

Here is a pic of a few of them...don't u just love the grey one?! She (hopefully) is a RIR Americauna cross, i.e. EE, right? (I think... neighbors have a RIR rooster and BR, RIR, and Americauna hens so I am thinking that must be what she is.) The 2 similar ones enjoying their kefir are RIR/BR cross we think. 2 Orphs are the lighter ones and 2 Marans (blue and black) are the last 2.

Now for some head shots my little models!

See the triple comb emerging on this guy...See the other BCM who hatched within a day or two..



I'm thinking this is a pullet when I compare the two..




Here is "Cloud" the EE? RIR/Americauna cross..she's super sweet and tolerates being held so I'm hoping she's a she!


My Australorp...he was exhibiting some cockerel behaviors (read: chicky cock fighting! yipes!) but maybe I mixed him up with my black EE...?



Here is my older Blue Marans


An EE?



One of my Orphs. The other's comb looks similar



My Wyandotte has nothing emerging...remember I'm new to this...normal?



In the brooder now, bad lighting sorry...my younger (by 4 days) Barnavelders. These 2 were born the same day but only one has a definitive comb emerging..



My younger Blue..



My youngest BCM..

Thanks for looking! I'm willing to keep my boys until the fighting starts..then we want to keep one Marans and sell (or eat) the others :/ Not sure if I can after raising these lil guys..I'm so attached to all of them!

 

[TheReadyBoys]

I don't know the breeds, but very nice chicks indeed!

 

[SoCalChicky]

I don't know the breeds, but very nice chicks indeed!

why thank you!!! I needed help with the sexing tho... I know the breeds except for the mixed ones. Any thoughts?

 

[TheReadyBoys]

No, sorry, I am rather new to chickens myself. I have about two years under my belt.

 

[SoCalChicky]

well thanks for looking

 

[jaeccles]

Love the pics? I have 10 for the first time ever and I'm wondering too. Oh the suspense!

 

[SoCalChicky]

Love the pics? I have 10 for the first time ever and I'm wondering too. Oh the suspense!

Thanks! It's killing me! I know I need to be patient but I have to fight the urge to grab another couple here and there at feed stores, etc. b/c of the "just in case"! (we are shooting for 16 hens)

 

[capow21]

This link may help:

http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/sexingchicks.html

At that age it might be easier to look at the tail feathers rather than going by the comb. I got 10 chicks last year and I read that a cockerel's tail feathers will be more pointed at the tips and a pullet's are round and stay wider all the way to the tip. That way worked 100% for me. I identified my rooster at about 3-4 weeks and determined the rest were hens and that's what I ended up getting. Sometimes the combs can be misleading. For instance my Rhode Island Red's grew their combs faster and taller than all of the others, including the cockerel. However after a couple of weeks he grew his wattles faster the cockerel's comb and wattles will turn brighter red immediately when they are growing. Pullets combs and wattles will remain a more pale pink until they begin to lay around 5-6 months. When they're older that's how you'll learn they're going to molt their feathers and take a break from laying as well. The girls combs will go to the pale pink and then back to red when they're ready to begin laying again.

And your Wyandotte not having a tall comb is normal. Their combs are little flat things.

Good luck. Chicks are fun!

 

[SoCalChicky]

No way!! Testing that out tomorrow!! Thanks so much for all the info!!!

 

[Alex15]

Cute and colourful little bunch. I'm pretty new, but have spent a lot of time on here looking at pics as my 8 grew up (and they're 18 weeks old today! Born on Valentines day!). I'll have a go for you!

So firstly they're about 4-5 weeks old. I wouldnt worry to much about their behaviour. My two australorps use to run around pecking everyones toes at like 1-2 weeks old and were the cheekiest and the naughtiest (first to jump out of their brooder etc). They both turned out to be girls. I ended up with 7 girls and 1 boy (very lucky!) and they use to ALL have a little fight and a play. Both my silkies were pretty anti-social with me when they were younger and I've got one placid hen and my roo is a roo, but he's pretty good and chilled in my arms for like 10 minutes on the weekend while I introduced him to my neighbours! I was a very proud mum! So that's behaviour wise!

Now both boys and girls get combs. My australorps in particular had semi-worrying combs. They were definitely pink, but not really red til they were about 8 weeks old.

Of the pics you've posted I would guess that the one in the second picture (of chickens) could be a little roo, possibly the barnevelder at the bottom and MAYBE your wyandottes if they both look like the one you posted! With wyandottes they have rose combs, so they don't stick up like a single comb like on most of the other chickens, so your wyandottes combs are nothing to worry about! I've based my guesses on the redness/size of combs. I found with my roo, once his comb and wattles started kicking in, they grew RAPIDLY and he started crowing for me at 10-11 weeks I think it was!

I would post pictures in this same thread in a few weeks, full body shots as well as combs and it should be a lot clearer then (I think it's usually pretty clear around 7-8 weeks)