Is this always true when sexing Barred Rocks?

[MontanaDolphin]

Is it an absolute positive cockerel I.D. if the comb is turning pink? I ask because my babies turned 3 weeks old today, and one of them is absolutely a cockerel (Zeus), which I knew he was, because his comb is larger and a definite pink. But there are a couple more that followed the pattern of being pullets (dark fuzz, dark wash down legs), but I'm starting to see a pink tint to their combs as well. Not as bold as Zeus, but the pink is there. I tried to get pics but even in the sunlight, you can't really tell...and with the flash of the camera it's pretty much impossible to tell, but I can try as best as I can to show y'all what I mean. For now, here's this pic...Zeus the bottom right chick...you can kinda see the pink tint to his comb...in reality, it is much brighter/bolder of a pink.





If there's pink in the smaller combs of the couple of other chicks, does that mean the odds are they are cockerels?

Thanks!

 

[Hillschicks]

Ive never heard that one before... Sexing chickens by the pinkness of there comb feels like a wives tail... Judging solely by the picture, there arent any i would say are definately male... But to be fair, we only have 2 barred rock hens... They do however look nothing alike.. One is small and bright white... The other is huge and darker... Both however went from yellow comb to pink comb to red comb... Sexing based on how comb color changes seems like a crap shoot to me

 

[MontanaDolphin]

I know one is definitely a cockerel...as a "newborn" he was light smoky gray compared to the dark gray/almost black of the others. His leg wash was absent, and he had the "spot" on his head wasn't really a spot...it was yellow, no sharp edges...and now his comb is bigger than the others, and it's a definite pink. His name is Zeus LOL

 

[Hillschicks]

Wish i could help more... Either way, good pick with barred rocks, mine are awesome birds

 

[Manda07]

Thats what ours looked like a 3 weeks and now he is 5 weeks and looks like this! Boy all the way. Some of our girls are slightly pink but short tight combs, nothing like Raylan here. I bet your other girls are fine. Our girls also feathered out faster than Raylan. He was the last to get rid of the fuzz ( I hear thats another sign)

 

[MontanaDolphin]

Thats what ours looked like a 3 weeks and now he is 5 weeks and looks like this! Boy all the way. Some of our girls are slightly pink but short tight combs, nothing like Raylan here. I bet your other girls are fine. Our girls also feathered out faster than Raylan. He was the last to get rid of the fuzz ( I hear thats another sign)

Lol I just posted on your thread in "What breed or gender is this".

I was told Zeus was a cockerel when the lady from southern states picked my six chicks out for me...I told her I wanted one boy and five girls. She based their sex on the leg wash. He had no leg wash.

Now, my smallest baby...the runt of the 6 now named pixie...is the last to feather, but she's supposed to be a pullet. Now I am starting to see pink in her comb...





And then some of my "girls" have wattles coming in!






I hate not knowing what I've got!!!

 

[Manda07]

I just saw your post on my thread The not knowing sucks. People on here told me to wait a couple weeks and it would be obvious and they were totally right. around 4.5 weeks it was quite obvious our little roo was much different looking then the others. It's just so hard to wait!

 

[Eggcessive]

Barred rocks can all have big combs and wattles, but generally you can tell just by how much darker the girls are. And as you have found out, girls have a more defined head spot, dark wash down the front of legs. Hatchery barred rocks are not completely pure, so there can be some differences.

 

[MontanaDolphin]

Barred rocks can all have big combs and wattles, but generally you can tell just by how much darker the girls are. And as you have found out, girls have a more defined head spot, dark wash down the front of legs. Hatchery barred rocks are not completely pure, so there can be some differences.

The head spot clue doesn't work for me...cuz some have defined head spots and some don't...in fact, one of my definite girls has a blotchy spot like Zeus...of course, I probably shouldn't say "definite" until she pops out an egg!!

What did you mean that hatchery barred rocks are not completely pure?? Like, they are actually mutts???

 

[MontanaDolphin]

anyone?