Help please? Are my RIR pullets?

[Suburban Sprouts]

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Is this true?! I have a 9 week old RIR who has a little comb (yellow) and no wattles... but the fact she has a comb at all... does that mean she's a HE?

 

[rhaj]

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I just posted pics, but wanted to add that Violet had a little black stripe on her head. Is that what you mean? Could that mean she is the 1 girl of the 3?

 

[hennyjenn]

Where did you get them? I have had very good luck with hatchery chicks, but "Joe a few farms over" isn't nearly as good at sexing. ;o)

 

[rhaj]

I got them at an Agway, a local farm/feed store.

 

[featherz]

All my RIR's have visible yellow combs - I am doubting the hatchery (MPC) that sexed them gave me ALL roos, but I guess we shall wait and see. They are 5.5 weeks old and have had combs since week one (yellow, not red or even pink).

 

[alexysmommy]

I gave 4 of my RIR's away that looked like that, were convinced they were boys. Yeah, they were all girls. All had early comb's and they looked just like that. I would just wait. ( I do think rose is def a boy though LOL)

 

[rhaj]

Chicken sexing is very confusing. I guess they just need time to be sure. Do you think 3 weeks is enough time? The chickenstock I was hoping to give the roos away at is on 6/27, though it sounds like I may not be able to give them away

I heard it is hard to get rid of the roos.

 

[SkyWarrior]

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My thoughts? It they lay eggs, they're hens. If they crow, they're roos. Until that time, it's guesswork. Eight weeks might be enough time to decide if they're roos or hens, but people on board are right -- RIR have early combs.

I looked at the early pics. I read a study done by the government about stripes and RIR (you can find it on the web searching for RIR and stripes). Almost all RIR females have stripes; the males usually don't. It's like in the 90%s for this. I wasn't seeing a lot of striped chicks there.

At this point since roos are hard to give away (except as dinner

), I'd offer them up on craigslist or here on Backyardchickens for free once you're really sure. Someone will probably take them. In the meantime, have fun with them and wait. That's what I would do.

 

[rhaj]

Thank you so much

Is the stripe supposed to be across the entire chick, like a chipmunk? None of my RIR had that, though Violet had a bit of a black "mini stripe" on her head.

Hopefully I will be able to tell by 6/27 so I can TRY to find somewhere for them to go (at a MA meet). If no one wants them, I have a second try on 7/10 (at a NH meet).

So, just to confirm, even though RIR can get early combs, pullets would NOT have what Rose does at only 5 weeks, right?? I am hoping to be pretty sure "she" is a he.

 

[featherz]

I think rose is probably a roo (as I said earlier, all my RIR have yellow combs) - I personally would wait and see on the others. I'm planning to keep mine until saddle feathers come in and/or they crow or lay eggs. It'll be a good study to see how legit the 4-5 week old sexing is and I'll post pics when I find out!