Isa brown, male or female?

[AshleyStoia]

I have 2 Isa browns, they were purchased about 2 months ago as chicks. I thought this morning that I heard one trying to crow, but I am not for certain. I know that the isa brown females are darker brown, which I do have 1, but the other seems to be lighter in color, with brown. It also has a larger tail then the other. I only heard the noise it made once this morning, but I also heard the noise a few days ago. I'm not sure if one is pecking the other to make the noise or what. I have 2 other hens that try pecking at these 2, so they get to stay in at night where it's warm for them. I never see which one it is making the noise. I've included a picture of them both. The darker smaller one I know is a hen. Sorry for the quality of the pictures, I couldn't get them to hold still!

 

[Kelsie2290]

If those are true ISA Browns, red sex links, they have to be females. The males are mostly white in color with some red patches on the wings.

 

[Kelsie2290]

This is the Feathersite page for sex links, they have pictures of ISA Brown male and females on there. http://feathersite.com/Poultry/CGP/Sex-links/BRKSexLink.html

 

[AshleyStoia]

Thank you for the help. I only heard it once this morning, and I figured that if it was a rooster, he would keep on trying to crow. I was just really unsure, because I have never owned this breed before. I purchased them at a Tractor Supply store, and they said "Isa brown pullets" on the sign, but I do know, roosters can get mixed in with the ladies! I also have a New Hampshire Red hen, and a California Grey, and they just started recently laying eggs. They don't care for the 2 babies at all, I am hoping to get them use to each other before the snow hits us. The babies go out during the day locked up in the coop so the bigger hens are able to see them, but not touch them. I didn't realize it was so hard to introduce them!

 

[donrae]

If you got them from a hatchery, they're both females. If you got them from a breeder who "breeds their own", all bets are off as to color. That said, I'm not seeing anything screaming rooster at this point, and at 2 months old males usually make themselves known by comb.

Do you have more space for them? They're awful crowded in that little cage.

 

[AshleyStoia]

Yes, they do have more space, they sleep in that cage at night, and they go outside in the large coop during the day. This picture was taken this morning as soon as I heard that noise, and outside they went! We've been getting in the low digits at night, and plus the others don't like them just yet.. So I choose to spoil and keep them warm at night!

 

[donrae]

Okay, good! Just checking......I'll bet they're pretty happy during the day. I know it's hard when they're at that in-between age when they don't really need a heat lamp but they're still too small to just toss in with the big girls--I've had some pretty creative solutions for that 2-4 age month period housing!

 

[AshleyStoia]

Here they are outside, and the bottom picture shows the bigger girls.. You can clearly tell they are not happy with the babies in their coop!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Like other red sex links, the ISA Brown can be sexed at hatch. The males also are quick to sprout red combs and wattles, long before the females show any red at all. Of course, we must always mention the disclaimer that if you breed the birds again, to each other, all bets are off. The linking of sex to color will not repeat in subsequent generations.