Hen or Rooster? Barred Rock was supposed to be a hen...

[WL67]

How old is your roo? We convinced ourselves last night he was a SHE because of the colors of her feathers (black and white vs. gray), and her somewhat faded looking waddle which is still small but probably growing fast. Yours is soooo bright red as is alot of others we saw on the web. We are sad because even though he was aggressive compared to the hens, he is very likeable and charismatic. A real leader and a pretty one at that.

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

Quote:
Ha ha I called it first!

 

[tiki244]

Awe thats too bad

I didnt see any pointy feathers Specks you got some good eyes there!

Well my rock that I thought was a girl,,,I saw trying to mate a hen today so I guess it is a roo also.

 

[angie3881]

Quote:
We brought him home as a baby chick in March. Late March. It seemed to take forever for the differeces to show up, but then they did. Our girls are all much shorter and have plain dark feathers. No pointed feathers at all.

 

[akcountrygrrl]

the3ofus+oursixchicks :

i dont think you have a barred rock looks like a dohttps://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/87967_swimming_006.jpgminiquer to me. and it also looks lhttps://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/87967_193.jpgike a rooster to me too. this is my hen on top pic and a barred rock rooster on botton pic

A dominique would have a rose comb.​

 

[angie3881]

Also that rooster did not have SUCH a bright red comb until all of his other manly qualities were obvious. My girls have a much darker red comb. I listened to the video you posted and I can honestly tell you NOT one of my girls ever crowed. The crowing came before the visual obviousness with mine, as well.

 

[laceynoelle]

BigDaddy'sGurl :

Quote:
Ha ha I called it first!

Ditto, except with me. ^^ 1st post, booyah.

 

[speckledhen]

All of us who called MALE, we all win!

I've been doing this with the Barred Rocks long enough to be able to see that first telltale shiny, skinny hint of saddle feathers that shows up before they really grow out all the way. Anyone who breeds BRs any length of time has the eye for it. It's the same with folks who raise any particular breed, how they can sex them earlier than others who have less experience with them.

The BRs have that extra color thing going on with the males vs females, but even when they refuse to follow that rule in about 10% of the cases and the pullets are extra light, you go on body shape, overall look of the head and neck, and lack of those skinny saddle feathers showing up to call it.

 

[WL67]

When he was strutting around this morning puffing out his chest and ruffling his neck feathers (before the crowing begain), I had a very hard time calling him a HER. And I"m no expert but that my friend looked like a ROOSTER.
Almost like he felt that he can finally come out of the closet with his little secret. I will miss that fella.

 

[speckledhen]

Aw, I love a Barred Rock rooster. Have you seen pictures of my studly Rex? Can't be a good quality BR boy for eye candy, IMO. Too bad you can't keep him.