Hen or Cockerel?

[Just some chicks]

Good morning,
I’ve had my black sex links and Sapphire Gems for 3 weeks. I have 3 of each. From the very beginning, the one sex link looked very different from the other 2. “She” has the spot on the head, has the striping all throughout and the biggest mystery is, is that the comb has been present since 1 week. I almost think I see the waddles starting. I’m very new to this and thought I would see what you all think. My other 2 are definitely hens. Oh, also “she” seems way more alert and keeps head raised to listen and acts as if “she’s” keeping watch to keep the rest protected. I’m happy with whichever it may be but I’m so curious. Thank you!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

White spot on head is male sex link... as confirmed by his current plumage and other features that are screaming cockerel.

Female sex links will not be barred.

 

[DobieLover]

That's a cockerel.

 

[Just some chicks]

White spot on head is male sex link... as confirmed by his current plumage and other features that are screaming cockerel.

Female sex links will not be barred.

That explains why HE looks so different from the rest lol. Thank you!

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Cockerel, agree with everything that @EggSighted4Life said

 

[cstephens1987]

Yup. Cockerel, no doubts

 

[Just some chicks]

I’ve

Yup. Cockerel, no doubts

I also heard that cockerels have lighter legs compared to the same breed of pullets?

 

[Just some chicks]

White spot on head is male sex link... as confirmed by his current plumage and other features that are screaming cockerel.

Female sex links will not be barred.

Is it ever possible for a pullet to have the white dot? Also, I tried looking at his wings spread out compared to the pullets but the wings look the same as the other 2 sex links. As far as the long feathers to the 2 different rows of feathers. Hard to explain but hopefully that makes a little sense?

 

[cstephens1987]

I’ve

I also heard that cockerels have lighter legs compared to the same breed of pullets?

Not exactly, but kind of. Barring is a dermal melanin inhibitor and males of barred breeds or sex links will subsequently have less dermal melanin because they have more of the inhibitor if that makes sense.

 

[cstephens1987]

Is it ever possible for a pullet to have the white dot? Also, I tried looking at his wings spread out compared to the pullets but the wings look the same as the other 2 sex links. As far as the long feathers to the 2 different rows of feathers. Hard to explain but hopefully that makes a little sense?

Couple things to unpack here;
1: females of barred breeds can get head spot because the head spot comes from barring gene, but female sex links would not
2: wing sexing only works in the first couple days after hatch, and only on certain crossbreeds because feathering rate, like barring, is a sex linked trait