Is my Barred Rock a hen or cockerel?

[RoostersAreAwesome]

The barring is male specific. But if it's not purebred, that goes out the window.

Not entirely true, mixed breed hens can’t have two copies of the barring gene, either, so can’t have super light barring.

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

Take a good look at the saddle feathers (just in front of the tail) Are they pointed? Maybe someone with better eyes can tell from the pic. The coloring of your bird in a pure barred rock would likely indicate male. If it layed the egg it is clearly not male nor is it a pure barred rock as the egg color would be darker.

My pure barred rock lays that color, some are darker or lighter then others

 

[sewfree55]

Take a good look at the saddle feathers (just in front of the tail) Are they pointed? Maybe someone with better eyes can tell from the pic. The coloring of your bird in a pure barred rock would likely indicate male. If it layed the egg it is clearly not male nor is it a pure barred rock as the egg color would be darker.

Thank you. I will look tomorrow evening after I get home from work. It's very possible it's not pure bred. We got it from a friend who bought the eggs to hatch, so I don't know where it came from originally. I've had it for 2 months, & until we let it loose with the Leghorns, it was my Lap Chicken! Now the Leghorns are wanting to be held & Lap Chicken Is a little toot!

 

[sewfree55]

My barred rock just reached laying age and is about twice as wide as my white leghorn. Im not sure if that’s a hen or roo without knowing age. The comb could be a young cockerel, or a hen at laying age. Any crowing? Hard to see the feathers at that angle.

No crowing yet! The guy we got it from said the other cockerels in the same batch are crowing. I've had it for 2 months now. Thanks for your reply!

 

[sewfree55]

My pure barred rock lays that color, some are darker or lighter then others

Thanks! I really hope it's a hen, because I'm really attached to that ornery little bird! All of the eggs from the Leghorns have been pure white.

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

Thanks! I really hope it's a hen, because I'm really attached to that ornery little bird! All of the eggs from the Leghorns have been pure white.

I hope so too, they are great!
This is my betty, shes 1½ years old.

 

[sewfree55]

I hope so too, they are great!
This is my betty, shes 1½ years old.
View attachment 3245533

Awwwwwww!!! She's adorable!!!

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

Awwwwwww!!! She's adorable!!!

Thanks, I got her as an adult so she HATES me bur if I had socialized her as a chick I'm sure she'd be nice. I love her coloring though

 

[sewfree55]

Are all your Leghorns laying? Did you get 3 eggs?

My Barred rock lays a more reddish/pink brown egg. It could be that one of the Leghorns egg has a heavier bloom today or the Barred Rock gave the egg and it will get darker with time.

Do you have pictures of the leghorns?

Not a good picture, but this was 2 weeks ago. You can see Lap Chicken is almost as big as the Christines now. (I just call them all Christine because they all look alike & they're all a little crazy like my sister Christine!)