Hen or Rooster

[jd71269]

The RiR is 7 weeks old so it may be early to sex. I've been leaning to rooster because his comb and wattle seem to be darker than his clutch mates but he is much smaller than them. I'm guessing the other one is a Polish rooster but is much harder to sex because I have zero knowledge of polish chickens and I'm not 100% sure its age. We have had him for 6 weeks. Just after opinions and think it's fun trying to guess their sex.

 

[swamphiker]

The RIR is definitely a cockerel. My RIR is 16 weeks and her comb is still much smaller than that.

 

[Chickenhappy8708]

Polish looks male as Well. But idk for sure.

 

[jd71269]

If we are right then that means 12 hens and 2 roos. I would like to keep both of them but I will have to watch and see how they get along and make sure the hens don't get pestered alot. I have a big coop and big run so there is plenty of room for everyone to get away. We will see how it goes and hopefully I won't have to rehome one. If I did rehome one it would have to be the RIR which is my favorite but my son is attached to the Polish

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I would like to keep both of them but I will have to watch and see how they get along

Hi there, welcome to BYC!

I do think those are both cockerels. Two can often get along just fine, many of us even keep stag pens if they do pester the ladies too much.

Your Polish boy.. probably about 12+ weeks not quite 16.. Is he bearded? I wasn't able to make out his face.

The Red.. looks lighter than RIR.. to me. Maybe New Hampshire Red or Production Red?? I'm not sure.. like you said just having having fun with the gender/breed question game and always keep learning! I know the subtleties will become more obvious with maturity and maybe easier to tell then.. just thinking sometimes things are mislabeled, mixed up, etc.

please allow plenty of time for maturity before deciding if one must go... ALL teenagers are awful. But since hormones set in at different rates.. the more hormonal one may SEEM the most aggressive of the two.. BUT my perfect gentleman lap boy eventually became my ONLY rooster ever to attack me despite being an early favorite and good with the gals. Once his mating hormones kicked in he tried to pull hens out of my lap, stalked me, charged me, sneak attacked me, and crowed relentlessly when he saw me.

Since then though I have many a good and balanced boys that never looked at me with the stink eye.

You say one is smaller than the rest of the group.. is it bantam by chance?

Hope they all grow up and get along super well! Will you be able to consider using a flock raiser or grower full time and offering oyster shell on the side for your active layers when they start.. so your boys aren't getting excess calcium eating "layer" feed?

 

[CalBickieMomma]

Looks like the RIR is a boy chicken, but that Polish might be a girl. I have two Polish girls and their head feathers are supposed to be more rounded, whereas the roos are supposed to be more narrow and pointed.

 

[jd71269]

13 weeks old now and looks like I have many Roos. The 4 RiR look like roos to me and I'm still not sure about the polish because I have no knowledge of them but I believe he is a Roo.

 

[jd71269]

Hi there, welcome to BYC!

I do think those are both cockerels. Two can often get along just fine, many of us even keep stag pens if they do pester the ladies too much.

Your Polish boy.. probably about 12+ weeks not quite 16.. Is he bearded? I wasn't able to make out his face.

The Red.. looks lighter than RIR.. to me. Maybe New Hampshire Red or Production Red?? I'm not sure.. like you said just having having fun with the gender/breed question game and always keep learning! I know the subtleties will become more obvious with maturity and maybe easier to tell then.. just thinking sometimes things are mislabeled, mixed up, etc.

please allow plenty of time for maturity before deciding if one must go... ALL teenagers are awful. But since hormones set in at different rates.. the more hormonal one may SEEM the most aggressive of the two.. BUT my perfect gentleman lap boy eventually became my ONLY rooster ever to attack me despite being an early favorite and good with the gals. Once his mating hormones kicked in he tried to pull hens out of my lap, stalked me, charged me, sneak attacked me, and crowed relentlessly when he saw me.

Since then though I have many a good and balanced boys that never looked at me with the stink eye.

You say one is smaller than the rest of the group.. is it bantam by chance?

Hope they all grow up and get along super well! Will you be able to consider using a flock raiser or grower full time and offering oyster shell on the side for your active layers when they start.. so your boys aren't getting excess calcium eating "layer" feed?

The smaller RiR has grown. He is still smaller than others but not by much. My whole flock is 5 RiR bought from and individual and 4 New Hampshire Red and 4 Americana from Tractor Supply and the 1 Polish that came from an individual and said it was a Silkie.

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

I see three cockerels in the first pic and one in the second. The Polish looks like a cockerel too