Is this 5 week old Black Copper Maran a cockerel?

[clucknorris1]

I was so sure this was a pullet but he's showing sons of being a roo... give me your best guess based on appearance. Has had a big tail from the start, comb has been contuously yellow and not changed much. I mostly want to know because we picked up an Ameraucana (barnyard mix but carries the blue gene) roo and I'm thinking I'd rather transition him out and keep the BCM... can't decide. We've been toying with selling fertilized eggs so it's whether we want to do pure BCM and olive/Easter eggers, blue Ameraucana mix and green EEs, or hope one of our wellsummers is a male and go with that (I think. OTB pullets though and like BCMs more). Really more as a hobby / to clear out extra eggs at certain times, although I might get really into it down the line. We might just hatch for fun, too... we'll see. Mostly I just want a variety and to daydream about chickens

I'd love to hear your opinion on his/her sex and which roo you would keep if he is one. The rest of the flock is two pure ameraucana pullets, white marans hen, cuckoo marans hen, red sex link hen, buckeye pullet, two gold Wyandotte pullets, and two wellsummers chicks. We'd definitely get more BCM pullets/chicks if he's a he and will likely be taking a dark olive egger from someone nearby (we just got through a fox attack and so we've been trying to add some singles to make it easier on our one remaining original hen). Chicken math, I guess... we started with 4, ended up with 1, now have 13....

Forgive me as I'm going to add the pic in the comments... I know how to do it on my PC but always get confused on my phone (I'm at the ICU with someone and can't sleep so... chickens).

 

[clucknorris1]

Okay I went a little pic crazy, but you get the idea. He is 5 weeks today (Monday) so these are all taken at 4.5 weeks. I didn't notice until just now that his comb seems to be getting redder. ****.

 

[clucknorris1]

Anyone? I know it was the middle of the night. I need to hypothesize my future chickens!

 

[clucknorris1]

Ok, here are pictures from today. I had glamour shots done on the garage freezer

So 5 weeks exactly.

 

[clucknorris1]

Please any guesses? (thanks to the one voter!). I know where's tons of these posts.... I'm happy either way. I just need a distraction from some not-so-fun human stuff going on... I'm also trying to sex our two gold laced wyandottes (9 weeks) as I'm starting to think one might be a cockerel, too. No votes just tell me what you think. They both seem very androgynous at this point

 

[debid]

Save these pics and compare in a couple weeks. Big comb change = male. But that comb isn't cockerel red yet.

And unless you're starting a breeding program, just keep whichever rooster has the best behavior. That's what's important, IMO.

 

[drumstick diva]

agree If you keep any roo pick one with a good disposition. Mean one's should not be used for breeding

 

[clucknorris1]

Good to know (on the comb). I have kiddos so obviously if the disposition is an issue it becomes a non-starter/easy decision. I'd rather it be a hen for the eggs anyhow it just got me dreaming about future flocks so I was curious. I don't think we'd do any serious breeding but I'd like the option to be there

 

[clucknorris1]

Update! 7 week old photos... it's looking like we've got ourselves a cockerel but if you think there's any chance he's still a pullet let me know! He carries himself like a roo based on my limited experience as well. Now whether to pick up a few more black copper marans... he's our only one, an impulse buy that's turned into an obsession with dark brown eggs I'm curious if the amount of gold on his chest, face and neck is also an indicator, for the next time around. He's a pretty boy, anyway, so I'm kinda glad! They say the charismatic chicks are always the giveaway and it's proven to be true for us twice... our last one was a sex link that hid his only white feathers and came to us as our favourite "pullet" who turned into a gorgeous surprise roo.

 

[debid]

Yep, there's some red starting. That's a cockerel.