Is this a black copper marans cockerel or pullet?

[Noymira]

I got 3 pullets (and 2 more birds of questionable gender) about a month ago from a local, they are now about 16 weeks old. I'm still not sure about one, but the last is looking more and more like a cockerel to me.

Here he/she is:

Here is the suspect (far front) with some of the others, they were not feeling photogenic last night. The one in the far back is the other one we were not sure of:

Here again is the other questionable one, but I'm leaning more towards a pullet there:

I've heard marans take a bit longer to mature than other breeds, and I'm new to chickens, so I'm not sure how long I wait to be sure on these. They are all about the same size, with one or two of the pullets a bit smaller than the rest. I wasn't really planning on keeping any roos, but there's nothing prohibiting it where we are either. I took them thinking we could always eat any that turn out to be roosters.

Any thoughts?

 

[smokeykk]

The one looks like a roo but the other looks like u will have some fresh eggs soon!

 

[lebentier]

the one in the front is a pulle. the one in the back is coloring up like a cockerel. look underneath his lower back feathers and see if any copper colored saddle feathers are growing in. they will be pencil shaped.

 

[floyd242]

They all look like pullets to me, mine are 16 weeks and my cockerals have way more coloring.

 

[Noymira]

Thanks for the replies! Now I'm really confused!

I'm glad it's not just me who can't decide!

Keep the guesses coming!

I certainly would not be upset if they were all pullets, I'm hoping for some dark and/or speckled eggs.

 

[HenThymes]

They all look like pullets to me. The loud colored one just may be a sex-link of some sort. It may be awhile before you see any eggs. I have gold cukoo marans and they just started laying this week at 7 months old.

 

[Noymira]

Quote:
The woman I got them from breeds black copper marans (but these are chicks she bought from someone else), she said I should not see eggs until they are closer to 26 weeks old. I guess that must be a common trait for marans.

 

[TriciaHowe]

They all look like pullets to me as well. At 17 weeks cockerals would be nearly impossible to miss.....And they would be crowing by this age.

 

[Noymira]

Thanks! I do think they are all pullets, but one kind of looks like she has no tail feathers, just a feathery bump shape. What is up with that?

The one I questioned in my first post is a pullet, she did the squat for me tonight and let me pet her. She was also pecking at the flower design on my boots, she's not afraid of me anymore. I guess that means she's close to laying?