Midnight majestic marans- sexing

[Housemouse115]

Hello! I’m new here but have had chickens for a few years. I just recently got a straight run of midnight majestic marans and honestly, the info online is very conflicting about how to sex them so I’m hoping someone here might be able to help.
I have 9 and all but one have white feathers coming in at the tips of their wings. I’m thinking this means I have 8 roosters I’ve attached a picture of the one I believe is a hen (all black feathers, but has yellow down) and then the wings of a couple that I think are roosters. Is this even how you sex them?

Thanks in advance

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

White feathering on the wings does not indicate male or female in these. They're a black sexlink cross, so males are barred and females are not barred. Do any of your chicks have barring? This should be visible as a white spot on top of the head in the chick down, or white stripes in the wing feathers.

 

[Housemouse115]

White feathering on the wings does not indicate male or female in these. They're a black sexlink cross, so males are barred and females are not barred. Do any of your chicks have barring? This should be visible as a white spot on top of the head in the chick down, or white stripes in the wing feathers.

To be honest, I guess I’m not entirely sure what the barred look is. I thought that’s what was showing up in those white feathers, white with some black. Should the white spot be big and obvious? Sorry, I had never even heard of these chickens until I got them the other day!

 

[Tahai]

The white feathers don't mean anything. This year is my first experiences with Marans. I got 2 "Marans" with white tips (TSC), and they are pullets for sure. (I suspect Midnights, but not 100% sure). I also have an 8 week black Olive Egger (Marans cross from Townline) with white tips, and I will be shocked if she's not a pullet.

In my opinion, Marans and Marans mixes (ie Olive Eggers) are tricky birds to sex. They are bigger than other breeds' chicks, so you think they are roos when you compare sizes inter-breed. The legs are thick and sturdy even on the pullets. The combs can develop quickly, so again, you swear you have roos. They are not interested in socializing. They are very alert and somewhat flighty. Everything adds up to cockerel when you compare them to other breeds. You need to compare them to each other to get the best idea of who's a roo.

I swore I had 2 cockerels, so I rehomed them to a friend. They are 14 weeks old now, and are definitely pullets.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

These are Barred Plymouth Rock bantams, but this is what a barring head spot and barring in the feathers should look like on chicks, just as an example. Each feather has alternating black and white stripes on it, giving them a sort of speckled look early on that later turns into stripes.

 

[Housemouse115]

The white feathers don't mean anything. This year is my first experiences with Marans. I got 2 "Marans" with white tips (TSC), and they are pullets for sure. (I suspect Midnights, but not 100% sure). I also have an 8 week black Olive Egger (Marans cross from Townline) with white tips, and I will be shocked if she's not a pullet.

In my opinion, Marans and Marans mixes (ie Olive Eggers) are tricky birds to sex. They are bigger than other breeds' chicks, so you think they are roos when you compare sizes inter-breed. The legs are thick and sturdy even on the pullets. The combs can develop quickly, so again, you swear you have roos. They are not interested in socializing. They are very alert and somewhat flighty. Everything adds up to cockerel when you compare them to other breeds. You need to compare them to each other to get the best idea of who's a roo.

I swore I had 2 cockerels, so I rehomed them to a friend. They are 14 weeks old now, and are definitely pullets.

Hmm yeah, that’s what I’m worried about.

These are Barred Plymouth Rock bantams, but this is what a barring head spot and barring in the feathers should look like on chicks, just as an example. Each feather has alternating black and white stripes on it, giving them a sort of speckled look early on that later turns into stripes.

View attachment 3514669View attachment 3514673
View attachment 3514676

Do you know how old the chick in the second picture is? Wondering when those stripes would be more obvious. But so in my pictures, it looks to me as though there are the stripes in the wing tips but is that not what that is? I just cannot keep 8 roosters so I’m trying to figure this out sooner rather than later they are only 4 or 5 days old though

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I believe he was 2 weeks old in that picture, but he feathered in quite slowly. Barring should impact all non-white plumage, though, so you should see that speckling from barring on any black feathers your chicks get if they are barred. I don't believe I see barring in any of the pictures you posted, but the third picture is a bit harder for me to tell for sure due to how the feathers are overlapping.

 

[BastyPutt]

Take a pic of all the birds from above your brooder. We should be able to telll make from female MM's from that.

 

[Housemouse115]

Take a pic of all the birds from above your brooder. We should be able to telll make from female MM's from that.

Sorry for the delay, I’ve only taken a picture of one of the birds. I’ll try and take another tomorrow. Here is one of them though.