Help please...3 weeks old. Pullet or Rooster and what breed??

[Jld13]

Welcome to BYC, @Jld13!

It is possible you have a Cornish cross meat bird on your hands BUT I think the other possibility is that your other chick is just very small. How old is the black/white chick that you have? It seems to be about the same size as the chick in question.

Based on that large comb at 3 weeks, I think the lighter, larger chick is unfortunately likely to be a rooster, regardless of its breed, which won't produce many eggs for you.

They might both be GSL--if they are, likely one is a pullet and the other is a cockerel. The lighter one's chick fluff is not dark enough to be a RIR.

Edited to add: Both look pretty healthy from the pictures. The scruffiness you may be seeing in the larger chick is normal in the transitional phase to adult feathering.

Thank you so much!! I’m new to the chicken world and have so many questions haha, even though I did as much research as I could to best prepare. We just love our little chicks and so glad we have them.

I had a feeling he was a boy. I can handle one rooster I think. I’d rather a rooster than a rooster/meat bird. My stomach can’t handle the thought of him not being around

The black and white one is a silver laced Wyandotte. She’s three weeks as well, just hatched a couple days before the GSL. I was more worried about the little GSL since she’s sooo little compared to the possible roo in question. But she’s happy, eats, drinks, poops and plays. I can’t ask for much more!

I also have an Easter Egger who is the same age as the others and giant! I hope she’s a girl too! This was her first time outside for a little since it was such a beautiful day.

 

[Jld13]

You do not want a cornish as they must be processed at a certain age. It does look like a rooster, and they grow fast and sometimes at a rate that outgrows the strength of there legs making walking difficult for them.
I would enquire about returning this one and asking for a replacement...before you get more attached.
The other 2 chicks I see in your pictures look great!

Oh dear... when do they need to be processed? . Thank you for the help!

 

[Jld13]

Just wait, they go from cute little fluff ball's to ugly little dinosaurs, lol, then become beautiful ladies, not the meat birds though

Hahaha they do change so much!!

 

[wordgirl]

Thank you so much!! I’m new to the chicken world and have so many questions haha, even though I did as much research as I could to best prepare. We just love our little chicks and so glad we have them.

I had a feeling he was a boy. I can handle one rooster I think. I’d rather a rooster than a rooster/meat bird. My stomach can’t handle the thought of him not being around

The black and white one is a silver laced Wyandotte. She’s three weeks as well, just hatched a couple days before the GSL. I was more worried about the little GSL since she’s sooo little compared to the possible roo in question. But she’s happy, eats, drinks, poops and plays. I can’t ask for much more!

I also have an Easter Egger who is the same age as the others and giant! I hope she’s a girl too! This was her first time outside for a little since it was such a beautiful day.

You are doing great! It’s totally normal to have questions even when you have done a lot of preparation! Even seasoned chicken raisers will still have questions that come up with new issues!

If the SLW and the giant chick are close to the same size, I would say that it’s not likely to be a full Cornish cross. The giant might still be a different breed than the little GSL but if it’s not substantially bigger than the SLW then I wouldn’t worry about it being a Cornish cross meatbird quite yet.

The little GSL sounds like she’s doing great! She may just be slow to mature!

You have some beautiful birds!!

 

[Jld13]

You are doing great! It’s totally normal to have questions even when you have done a lot of preparation! Even seasoned chicken raisers will still have questions that come up with new issues!

If the SLW and the giant chick are close to the same size, I would say that it’s not likely to be a full Cornish cross. The giant might still be a different breed than the little GSL but if it’s not substantially bigger than the SLW then I wouldn’t worry about it being a Cornish cross meatbird quite yet.

The little GSL sounds like she’s doing great! She may just be slow to mature!

You have some beautiful birds!!

Wordgirl thank you so much! You’ve been so kind and I appreciate the help. I feel much better now!

 

[Bigegges]

Hopefully the large chick is not a Cornish X meatbird.

I think it is I have raised them for years and that is what I think it is