Is our Bacon (named by my 12 year old) a rooster?

[bruadarach]

We had 11 EE chicks (gave three away) and are down to 8 whom we are keeping.

There is one that I’ve felt was a rooster from the get-go, but I also felt like the one we least expected would end up being a rooster. Now my original “I’m sure it’s a roo!” Is the least of my concerns (well, still concerned, but not as much).

Enter Bacon, who wasn’t on my radar at all. I had read about the three rows of pea combs being roo in young chicks. These guys are four weeks old tomorrow, Sunday. What’s your take?

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Looks pretty male...

 

[Acre4Me]

that is a large comb for a 4 week old EE. My guess would be male.

 

[Rammy]

Yup.

 

[Chickenhappy8708]

He's cute! Your 12 year old has great names lol.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Give it more time, I've had pullets with large combs. They'll grow into it, & it'll be small.

Wait to see evidence of pinking up, or rusty red feathers?

 

[bruadarach]

He's cute! Your 12 year old has great names lol.

Hes gone with breakfast themes for all his chickens. He has Eggs the RIR mutt pullet and then Pancake and Bacon, the EE chicks.

Incidentally, Pancake is the other one I’m worried about. Eggs is definitely in the clear. She hasn’t laid yet, but I would be incredibly surprised if she was a rooster.

 

[bruadarach]

Give it more time, I've had pullets with large combs. They'll grow into it, & it'll be small.

Wait to see evidence of pinking up, or rusty red feathers?

I will definitely wait and see! I’m starting to worry we have a lot of roosters on our hands. The original one I was worried about, Pancake, looked pretty bland until yesterday when orange feathers popped up on neck and shoulders. She has been an overly confident (and hilarious) chick since day one. She starting to peck really hard, so we’re working on that. My sweet little Delilah (my profile photo) gets more and more stunning by the day, including red splotches are “her” feathers.

 

[Chickenhappy8708]

Don't let it peck you, it will see it as an ok behavior later, this is esspesily problematic if it is a rooster.

 

[bruadarach]

Don't let it peck you, it will see it as an ok behavior later, this is esspesily problematic if it is a rooster.

We don’t... anymore. Haha! At first I just assumed it was curiosity, and it probably was. But she’s gotten to the point where she’ll grab skin and it isn’t funny.

Any tips for the best way to stop it? I’ve started just gently pushing her away or poking her beak when she does it while also making a Cesar Milan “psst” sound which startles her away. Lol I’m much more in tune with behavioral training for my dog. Chickens are new to me! No idea how they tick.