How old before you can tell if its a rooster?

[debid]

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what will you do if its a roo? I guess craigslist is our best option... the general response is EE arent much for eating :-/

We're out in the country so unless he turns mean, he stays. I bought sexed pullets because I didn't want to have to worry about dealing with a mean roo but we all know 1 out of 10 would be typical. At this point, I just hope he's the only one.

 

[jgervais]

We bought 13 sexed pullets.... so I guess 1 out of 13 (well, hopefully) Isn't too bad.... Maybe we will let ours stick around and see what type of personality he has. I have to say it was awfully cute to hear a rooster crow this morning

 

[mcf3kids]

I'm living in the fantasy world that we got all hens

but if we get a roo in the mix DH wants to consider it one of our meat birds and keep the hens. We have 12 layers and 12 BO's. A BO or two may be moved over to the laying group and any roo (except Princess) moved to the meat bird criteria. We have named the "layers" so really hoping that none of them are roos

 

[ninabeast]

I got one roo out of 12 sexed pullets. I began to suspect as early as 2 weeks when "she" wasn't feathering out as quickly as the others of "her" breed. It was quite a stark difference. Also, "she" was much smaller.

The comb popped up at about 3.5 weeks, and a week later there was no denying it anymore. I'm having an expert come in to look at him before I give him away to someone who needs a roo, but I'm 99% sure. So, it doesn't always take ten weeks.

 

[debid]

Yes, well, I would love to pretend that my little Jane is just a pink-combed girl so I haven't renamed her yet

But, the other three EEs have inverted V tails, "hers" curls down. The other three have color patterns that are full of barring, she's ivory with splotches of dark red on her back. Her comb is one visible row of peas and rather pink while the others have flat combs. It's those differences that caught my attention at ~3 weeks but when I asked on here, I was told it was too early and to wait a few weeks. Sometimes you just know.

 

[Pinx]

I'm no expert at all, but I could tell one of my barred Cochin Bantams was a roo as soon as he started feathering. He was much "prettier" then the other barred cochin bantam, as in she is sort of a dull gray/black and he and he has a much brighter, showy color. Even before he started feathering we had a good idea that he was in fact a he lol, he had the "rooster eye" as I call it. Just a "mean" look about him, always the first to investigate things, always the first one to peck you, he is so full of himself. Now at 7 weeks I am 110% sure he is a roo, since he is already getting pretty mean, he will not be staying here. I can only imagine what he will be like full grown... ugh! I'm sure that going by the looks of their eye and personality aren't always fool proof for telling what gender, but it worked for me... and then again I could have just got lucky

.

 

[JodyJo]

It may be too early, but post some pics anyhow, we love to see them and maybe we can help out!

 

[Mommysongbird]

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So what does the V tail mean? Do you have a picture of what I should look for?? I think I pretty much understand, but does the V mean that it is a hen or roo??

 

[stargazer2014]

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OMGosh I think I have a roo then! My babies are 2 weeks, and we have one that is a different color than the rest, and always, always stares me down when I go out to water, feed, and play. This one doesn't look mean, but it always just "watches" me. I probably should be creeped out, but I'm not! lol

 

[jgervais]

My Roo was nothing like as described.
Always bigger, more feathered, calm, shy. Never the first to anything. Not mean, doesn't challenge me. I'm sure as he matures more he will be more dominant. The only reason I thought it was before the crowing this morning is because his comb was more red and his tail feathers longer. Seems like a nice one though.