Help sexing my 4.5 week old Langshan - I don't want to have to slaughter my daughter's pet :-(

[Freia]

I bought Lilly as a pullet at 1 day old. She's my first Langshan. I know they're tall, upright, beefy birds, but this little girl is so upright and leggy that I'm really wondering if she might be Billy and not Lilly.

I did find some guideline saying to look for bare wing-bows, bare along the neck and crop, a rounded, droopy tail, and poorly developed feathers along the center of the back all as indicators of cockrel. So here are some pictures at 4 weeks, 3 days.

Her wing-bows are not completely filled in, but there are pin-feathers there popping out. Wing-bows aren't bare, but they're not feathered either. She has very thin feathering along her neck, but great feathering at her crop. She has great feathering along the center of her back. Her tail is pointy and upright. Her comb seems pretty big - it's yellow, but has some pinkish tinge at the base. Her legs are completely feathered out. From everything I can find of guidelines to look for, she seems to be half pullet, half cockerel!

 

[keesmom]

At 4 weeks I suspect that's a cockerel. I see red wattles.

 

[Freia]

Awwww, poor Lilly. And she's such a sweet, gentle thing too. I was looking forward to having her in my flock, not in the pot.

 

[animallover505]

Can you, by any chance, keep him/her

 

[Freia]

We have no restriction on keeping roosters in our neighborhood. I just don't like being woken up by crowing in the middle of the night, and neither do my neighbors. I also have young kids, and I'm not fond of attack-roosters. If s/he turns out to be a well-mannered rooster, then he may take over the harem. And I had so looked forward to dark-brown eggs.

 

[animallover505]

They don't crow until light, generally

 

[CheekyMare]

All of my solid blue chicks have turned out hens while the Roos have contrast...but mine are B.Y. mixes and not pb.

 

[mshuntjump]

Why can't you just sell the bird? There is no reason that you have to slaughter the poor thing. Other people would want the beautiful guy if you listed him on craigslist.

 

[Freia]

I cant' slaughter him. S/he is the sweetest bird ever - for now.Loves to perch on my hand. If he remains calm and gentle and well-behaved as a roo, I'll let him take charge of the harem. I wouldn't mind having some crosses out of him. I have 3 types of Cochins, Iowa Blues, Mottled Javas, and a few other odds and ends. He'd make some hardy, nicely-laying chicks with great temperament. If he's a naughty boy, I'll send him off to a local farm. He'll be flashy enough for someone to want him.

My poor daughter started crying yesterday because her beloved Lilly is a boy and will have long, whopping spurs and not be cuddly anymore. Unfortunately, I can't find any more Langshans around here to replace her with, and I doubt McMurry will sell me just one.

 

[mshuntjump]

He probably will be naughty, most roos are. It's just the rise in their hormone level. He will make a great roo, wherever he goes.