Let’s play the game. Sexing salmon fav

[Keylime]

I ordered a big batch of chicks from the hatchery. Boy did I get some surprises. They are all supposed to be pullets, but I don’t think they are. Here is one of my salmon faverolles at three weeks. What do you think? Pullet or cock? Feathers coming in laced with black, but still lots of brown. I have two other chicks that have creamy peach chest feathers. Thanks!

 

[Painted Calls]

It's a bit early, but it definitely looks suspicious. I wouldn't worry too much yet though. I've seen some pretty dark pullets come out of hatcheries.

Update in a couple weeks.

 

[SamCO]

Looks just like my salmon faverolle cockerel. Here you can see him compared to a pullet when they were about that age and now a little older. It’s obvious now, but those dark feathers have him away.

 

[Acre4Me]

Pullet.

Comb is small. Brown, even dark brown, means female. BLACK feathers -usually first ones appear on the chest by age 3 weeks- mean male.

In my personal experience a SF male comb begins to be larger and have a bit of color by this age.

 

[Keylime]

Pullet.

Comb is small. Brown, even dark brown, means female. BLACK feathers -usually first ones appear on the chest by age 3 weeks- mean male.

In my personal experience a SF male comb begins to be larger and have a bit of color by this age.

I do have to agree. None of the feathers are all black. There are some that are pink with black fringe, but predominantly rosy. No comb development.

 

[Keylime]

Here she is at four weeks. What do we think?

 

[SamCO]

Looks like a girl now.

 

[Paradisewife]

Here she is at four weeks. What do we think?

I don't know....all that black...I have 2 (My first 2). I was panicked over black flecks in the beard! I'm leaning cockerel. Adult males have black breasts and undercarriage ....Mine (both pullets) had a little dark gray, but no black, except the beard flecks, that are moulting out. This is 1 of mine at 4 weeks...and the back end of the other.

 

[Keylime]

I wish someone who had a mottled chick like mine would chime in. On the one hand, this bird has no comb development, likes to cuddle, has a red tail coming in, and has predominantly peach breast feathers. On the other hand, some of the feathers have a black fringe, and there are long feathers on the feet. In my experience with feathered-footed chickens, the ones with a lot of feathers on the feet right away end up being roosters. I looked at the hens pictured in the hatchery’s website. Some of them had dark rose feathers on the head and black in the beards, tails, and hackles. So they probably are not using the best of show breeders.

 

[Faithful flock]

I'm leaning towards cockeral

Can we just take a moment though and appreciate how adorable that chick is!