Male or female?

[silkie1472]

Good evening, all!

I have a few 4 week old chicks, and there is one that I cannot determine the gender on. I ordered a black Minorca male with my red sex links, but after 4 weeks, there is no noticeable difference. Is this just a slower-developing breed, or do I have a pullet, you think?

Here, take a look:

 

[featheredplanets]

Looks like a pullet so far. If there’s any comb growth and reddening in the next 2-3 weeks, then it could be a cockerel.

 

[azygous]

Look closely at the color of the combs. The ones with pale pink combs are pullets. The ones with yellow-orange combs are cockerels.

 

[silkie1472]

Yes, I’m looking closely at the color of the comb at this time, but I have some sex-links that look identical at that aspect. Personally, I would have expected to see that “leghorn-like” growth with the minorcas. I can tell my leghorns apart after the first week from comb size, but not this one. I have never raised minorcas either, though.

 

[featheredplanets]

Yes, I’m looking closely at the color of the comb at this time, but I have some sex-links that look identical at that aspect. Personally, I would have expected to see that “leghorn-like” growth with the minorcas. I can tell my leghorns apart after the first week from comb size, but not this one. I have never raised minorcas either, though.

All breeds and individuals mature differently. 4 weeks is a tad young to know for sure. Only way to know is if her comb grows and reddens significantly in the next few weeks. Leghorns are bred purposely for fast maturation, Minorcas not so much as they’re not as popular