Is Coronnette a rooster, or too early to tell?

[luukasama]

Hey guys,

So I'm beginning to see some strange behavior with my largest Barred Rock, Coronnete. She's the largest of our flock of six, and when she walks, a lot of times she will keep her tail straight up, but then when she's not looking around or eating, her tail goes down and she holds it like a hen. Based on the things I saw online, a rooster would start growing a bigger comb, as well as the beginnings of spurs, but I see neither. It's funny, but as small as the combs are on other chicks, Coronnette's the smallest, almost non existent.

They are all 6 to 7 weeks old. Is it too early to tell? What I noticed is that sometimes they will run at each other and butt breasts, almost like a fighting stance, jumped over each other and etc, but it seems unusual to me that hens would do that. Is that normal? Please see the following pictures I took of her tail straight up, as opposed to the others being held straight down.





Any thoughts?

 

[donrae]

Looks like a hen to me. A male would have a much larger, redder comb at this point, plus be much lighter overall in color.

 

[Basskids08]

Looks like a pullet(BR), and the chest bumping is normal for females too! Just seeing how the pecking order is going to go.


Edited for spelling

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

Very dark colored + no wattles developing = pullet

 

[Fred's Hens]

This bird is indeed a pullet, but not a Barred Rock, sorry.

 

[Cyan Night]

She looks more like a cuckoo marans. If her feet are white, then that's what she is

 

[luukasama]

Ah, I guess I was wrong on the breed too. I thought her coloring matches a Barred Rock. I have 2 more just like Coronette. Glad to hear she's not a rooster. I wouldn't be able to live with the idea of eating fertilized eggs.

Can you guys tell me what the other breeds are, may be based on the top pictures?

 

[keesmom]

There are 2 RIRs/production reds and a salmon Faverolles.

What's wrong with fertilized eggs? As long as you collect eggs daily you will never know the difference.

 

[One Chick Two]

Ah, I guess I was wrong on the breed too. I thought her coloring matches a Barred Rock. I have 2 more just like Coronette. Glad to hear she's not a rooster. I wouldn't be able to live with the idea of eating fertilized eggs.

Can you guys tell me what the other breeds are, may be based on the top pictures?

With barring, as I understand it, if you see more white coloring overall as a whole, then the bird is male. I agree too that she may possibly be a cuckoo marans pullet- you should be in for some nice dark eggs!

BTW, a fertile egg does not have an embryo at all unless the egg is sat on for 24 hours- then changes begin.

 

[luukasama]

There are 2 RIRs/production reds and a salmon Faverolles.

What's wrong with fertilized eggs? As long as you collect eggs daily you will never know the difference.

It's the principal of the matter. I don't like the idea of eating a fertilized egg, because to me it's like eating a fetus even if it hasn't even started developing yet. I feel really strongly about that and just don't want that kind of guilt.

Thank you for all the advice, everyone