How big are the combs and wattles on your RIR hens.

[rhodeislandredraiser]

Yesterday while I was watching my chickens, one of my larger 18 week roos jumped on the back of one of my 14 week old roos. The younger roo did not resist at all. I am wondering if possibly I have mistaken the sex of some of them.

 

[speckledhen]

You could have. RIR hens can have large combs (not cones

), though not as large as roosters. However, roosters will assert their dominance over each other by doing that sometimes.

 

[Uppity Peon]

Here is a pullet about 18 weeks old:

 

[rhodeislandredraiser]

Opps! I was judging their sex by the size of their wattles. How can I determine their sex? I know I sound absolutely ignorant; however, I have some hens that have tiny waddles and little of no comb.

 

[ranchhand]

Okay, speckledhen got you on combs, and I am going to have to get you on wattles. (not waddles, that's what ducks do!)

RIR do have pretty large wattles and combs, so sometimes it's hard to tell until someone crows or lays an egg!

Is there any way you can post pictures? Then you can get some for sure answers. It's usually easier to tell by looking at the hackle and saddle feathers.