Learning to sex my Bared rocks, help me?

[Twolf]

I bought my chicks at TSC 2 weeks friday and they were likely a 3-4 days old roughly. I have Tinted Tetra's, Golden comets, two random bantams and Bared Rocks I was hoping somebody could tell me if I have this correct. The first two photos are of the same Bared Rock and I'm thinking he's a rooster judging on what ive read. The second two pictures are of the same bared rock I believe to be a hen. Let me know what you think????

 

[Fred's Hens]

These two are very easy. No problem.

The top two photos are of a cockerel.
The lower two photos are of a pullet.


They'll be cockerels and pullets until they are a year old. Then, you can "upgrade" their label to the adult versions. LOL

Cute as a bug. Enjoy them.

 

[Twolf]

Thank you, so I have 5 bared rocks, the other 3 look like the second two photos (my pullet you say) , so safe to say those might be pullets too? The cockerel in the top two photos is the only one i have in that lighter color, the rest are darker like the pullet.
THANK YOU

 

[Fred's Hens]

Study these visuals until you can sex them in a snap, at a mile away!!!! hahahaha

They're actually very, very easy to sex, once your mind understands what your eye is seeing.
Study grasshopper.

 

[Twolf]

I didn't realize the females were that much darker. Is that true as they are young or could it change?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Genetics

The male Barred Rock carries two genes for barring. The female only one gene for barring. This is why the males "appear" lighter and the females "darker". In reality, the BR is a black bird. Both sexes.

The "on-off" gene determines the crispness of the barring. While an imprecise analogy, think of an inkjet printer head stopping and starting spraying black ink or white ink on black paper.