Help with young BLRW.. pullets or roos

[shellyga]

I bought my laying age chickens as "grown" so wanted some help with these.. they are almost 20 weeks old.

Chick 1

Chick 2

Chick 3

Chick 4

Any help is appreciated.. thanks

Shelly

 

[TheReidHomestead]

I would guess girls on all by their coloring and lack of saddle feathers. But their combs & wattles are pretty pink for only 20 wks. I would've guessed that they are older.

 

[shellyga]

Actually I just looked at the calendar.. they are 18 weeks tomorrow..

Shelly

 

[TheReidHomestead]

Mine typically haven't started laying until week 27-30, and they have stayed pale in the comb & wattle until right up to POL. Yours look ready to go!

 

[write2caroline]

chick two doesn't have a rose comb typical of wyandottes.

Here is my young roo

[/img] as a chick and again as a twenty week old roo

[/img]

And here he is now

[/img]

I know he is a SLW but it is harder to tell when they are young. Also he crowed at 22 weeks - took forever for him to find his voice and now he is never quiet!
Caroline

 

[Tam'ra of Rainbow Vortex]

3 and 4 look like boys to me.
The genders look very similar for a LONG time and the only way at that age I knew who my boys were was by picking them up and looking through their wing/shoulder feathers. the first sign you have a boy will be dark red shiny feathers growing at the wing base. It can take quite a while for them to emerge and be visible. Their combs develope slowly, most of the roos are pretty docile, and the saddle and hackle feathers look very similar on pullets and cockerals. BLRW are tough!

 

[shellyga]

oohh wow.. thanks for all the help. I am use to Orpingtons.. although some Blue and Black Orps that are the same age are not as definative unless I have all pullets.. now my three Buff orpingtons that are a week older are clear.. especially with the 2 roos out of 3 chicks that are growing NICE long arched tail feathers and a really pronounced comb.

Good thing about all of these birds are they are super gentle.. so I don't suppose they will mind me looking for red feathers...

Shelly