Help?!

[BeezerC]

Ok I have this little beauty. First thought it was a roo. Then posted pics in another place and the as told pullet. Today was told again that it’s a roo. 7 weeks old. Roo was a RIR, hen was Barred Rock which someone told me today means its a sex link and that if it was solid black it would be a pullet and because of its barred colouring its a roo? Is this correct?

 

[NatJ]

Why do people keep telling me he’s a she then? They say he’s the same colour as a pullet and he also has the black wash down his legs.

With Barred Rocks, the males and females look a bit different from each other--the pullets are darker colored and the males are lighter. So they are autosexing: a pure breed of chicken that can be sexed by color/pattern from a very young age.

When you cross a Barred Rock hen with a rooster to get sexlinks, like you did, the sons (cockerels) have the darker color that is normally found in Barred Rock pullets. So some people get confused.

It's the result of the barring gene, on the sex chromosomes.
--A Barred Rock male has two copies of the gene, thus more white bars, thus lighter color.
--A Barred Rock female, and also her son the sexlink cockerel, has one copy of the gene, thus less white bars/more black, thus darker color.
--A Black Sexlink female has no copies of the barring gene, thus no white bars, thus solid not-barred (i.e. black.)

(Compared to mammals, chickens have backwards sex chromosomes: male has ZZ, female has ZW. All the interesting genes are on the Z chromosome. A male passes it to his sons and his daughters. A female passes Z to her sons, W to her daughters.)

 

[TheOddOneOut]

I’ve never heard the term splash for a colour before. I am new to chicks. I’ve only ever had ISA laying hens before this.

Splash is white with black or blue feathers mixed in.
If you breed Blue x Blue you get 50% blue, 25% black and 25% splash.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Ok I have this little beauty. First thought it was a roo. Then posted pics in another place and the as told pullet. Today was told again that it’s a roo. 7 weeks old. Roo was a RIR, hen was Barred Rock which someone told me today means its a sex link and that if it was solid black it would be a pullet and because of its barred colouring its a roo? Is this correct?

Oh, very much a boy. Yes, sexlinked. If the mom was barred, there is absolutely ZERO doubt.

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

There is nothing about this chick that looks pullet-like to me. That comb is much too large and along with being sex-linked, no doubt

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Check his/her legs against the others‘ legs. If feet and legs are noticeably bigger, then probably a boy chicken. That comb definitely looks boy, but I’ve had pullets develop their combs and wattles early in the past.

Leg size isn't a proven method.

 

[Mamatomany123]

They have yellow legs and no muffs. Or pea combs. Sorry to say, I think there’s been a mix-up.

I agree. Heres my easter eggers. Pea comb, muffs, and green legs.

 

[NatJ]

I’ve never heard the term splash for a colour before. I am new to chicks. I’ve only ever had ISA laying hens before this.

You know the saying about learning to swim by jumping in the deep end of the pool? I think you're doing that with chicken breeds, colors, and genetics. Don't drown

 

[BeezerC]

Thanks for all the help and advice. It’s a learning process that’s for sure.

 

[CalBickieMomma]

Leg size isn't a proven method.

Good to know! It worked for me the last time .