Is it a rooster or a hen?

[FarmerJones]

Is there a way to tell the young roosters from the hens without getting too personal with them?

I have 4 little chickens about 6 weeks old, all from the feed store, and all were the same size. They were also all marked Barred Rock pullets. The thing that has me wondering is that all of the sudden one is bigger and scrappier than the rest. Three have tail feathers that come to a nice flat point. The big one's tail doesn't make a point. The feathers kinda stick straight out sort of like a bun. Their heads all look the same. This one little bird has the barn cats running scared!

 

[BeckyLa]

I know alpha hens can be scrappy like that. But with my BR chicks, which are getting close to 2 months old, I have one that's growing a bigger comb and waddles while the others are not. Also, sometimes the roos will be a lighter color than the pullets, at least mine are developing this way. hth.

 

[speckledhen]

This should help you-here is a cockerel and pullet chick, six weeks old from my stock. See the lighter color of the boy? Also, pullets have darker legs on the front usually.

 

[Chirpy]

Not that I'm a help but thought I'd share my story.

I also bought five pullets (Australorps) and within a few weeks one of them started to develop a comb and wattle and was getting bigger than the others. We had a boy!!

The store was more than happy to give me my money back for him (I didn't ask them for the money back, I was just telling them about it) and let me keep him (my daughter was very attached at that point).

I keep hearing that sexing chick is not 100% with some breeds.

 

[FarmerJones]

Thanks to you all for your help. Speckled Hen's pictures confirmed that they are all girls.