Is this a rooster?

[JakeBarnes]

Hi everyone, we’ve got four chicks are present and are concerned that two might be male. Actually we know one is because I emailed the place we bought it from with some picks and they confirmed it. They are hard to get a response out of so I haven’t asked about this other one yet and I’m hoping you can help. It’s a Plymouth Rock obviously and around 4 weeks old I believe. It’s our smallest chick though has caught up fast lately. I’m concerned because of the slow feathering, posture and it’s behaviour - it and the confirmed male are the ones that least like being touched, I know that’s hardly solid proof on its own but I’m just adding it to the tally. Please let me know what you think.

 

[Pork Pie]

I'm certainly no expert, but the posture alone would lead me to think its a cockerel.

 

[JakeBarnes]

I'm certainly no expert, but the posture alone would lead me to think its a cockerel.

Yes that’s the big one for me as well

 

[Hyper_Chicken05]

Yeah and the comb is a little big but 4 weeks is a bit young to have a clear indication

 

[DobieLover]

As the others have written, it is a bit young to say with certainty but his is expressing all the characteristics of a cockerel.
Did you buy sexed chicks? 2 for 4 is a pretty lousy accuracy percentage.

 

[JakeBarnes]

As the others have written, it is a bit young to say with certainty but his is expressing all the characteristics of a cockerel.
Did you buy sexed chicks? 2 for 4 is a pretty lousy accuracy percentage.

No they didn’t guarantee the sex, though they said they would do their best. They were a couple of weeks old when we got them as replacements for the day olds we originally got that died of cocci. If we replace these two we will have taken home nine chicks in six weeks. We only wanted to get two initially lol! (Though we were planning on expanding the flock pretty quickly. It’s been an experience

 

[007Sean]

I'm no expert but it appears to be a cockerel.

 

[speckledhen]

I wouldn't jump to conclusions yet. My 4 week old BR males have honking red/large combs already most of the time. Most hatchery BR pullets have a decent amount of dark wash down the leg fronts. I see some on that chick. The only thing that says male to me, a BR breeder, is the slower feathering, but you also said it was smaller so that may also be part of that issue as well. Sometimes, they can fool you. I'd expect more red in a comb of a 4 week old BR cockerel, personally. The stance I've seen in pullets of mine.

 

[speckledhen]

Here is a 4 week old BR cockerel from one of my lines, though he may actually be slightly younger than that. They were hatched in June and this is July 2 the pic was taken.

 

[speckledhen]

This was my first BR pullet, from a hatchery. Folks said she was a male for weeks and weeks. This was way before I had the experience I do now. She always had the stance of a male, even the coloring veered to the male side, but she was the mother of many sons before she passed away.
This is really more the fast feathering I expect of a hatchery BR pullet. My heritage line pullets don't have tails that long, though they are definitely darker.

Best sexing method, even with breeds that have color cues: Time!