Mt Healthy messed up

[IvyBeans]

I ordered 3 Bielefelder pullets (and 1 Blue Australorp pullet) from Mt Healthy. I got what I thought were 4 Biels (and the 1 BA). Bielefelders are auto-sexing at hatch: the females are chipmunk stripe, the males are blond with a pale headspot. Noticeably different, in other words.

They are nearly 7 weeks old now, and I fear that the extra is a cockerel of some other breed, one of the many breeds that have the chipmunk striped chicks. I won't know for a few weeks yet, but I do NOT need a male. I have a very nice rooster.

All the chicks were healthy and still are doing well. I would be VERY HAPPY to be wrong about this chick, but I'm having gut feelings that are hard to ignore. I don't even care if she's not a Bielefelder, as long as she's a she.

Do you have a picture?

 

[Sally PB]

Do you have a picture?

This is Pip, the bird in question, at about 5 weeks. I didn't question the gender -- ever -- until someone said, "That's a lot of comb for a 5 week old. And I see wattles starting." That was my first gut clench moment.

I don't think the comb has gotten appreciably bigger in the 10 days since this was taken.

Of the 4 Bielefelders, there are two that are more red, and two that are more grey/dun colored, comparatively. Pip is one of those. Pip was also slightly smaller; not a lot, just enough that you could say, "this chick is smaller than the others."

 

[Sally PB]

I'll try to get a new picture today.

 

[Saveria]

I'll try to get a new picture today.

That looks more like a female that is a breed with a large comb to me. The comb should be almost red at 7 weeks if it is a cockerel, too.

 

[BastyPutt]

View attachment 3560176
This is Pip, the bird in question, at about 5 weeks. I didn't question the gender -- ever -- until someone said, "That's a lot of comb for a 5 week old. And I see wattles starting." That was my first gut clench moment.

I don't think the comb has gotten appreciably bigger in the 10 days since this was taken.

Of the 4 Bielefelders, there are two that are more red, and two that are more grey/dun colored, comparatively. Pip is one of those. Pip was also slightly smaller; not a lot, just enough that you could say, "this chick is smaller than the others."

Oh yes - cockerel. Hands down.

As much as a despise mt healthy, it is pretty common for hatcheries to put extra cockerel chicks into shipments - especially when they are a small number. More chicks = more heat =more likelihood of survival during transport.

 

[Sally PB]

New pictures.
This is to show the difference in the colors.

Pip is the one on the bottom of the picture. Sorry, I rotated me, not the phone. The difference is more noticeable in person.
New picture of Pip.

7 weeks on Sunday. The color is paler in person.

Oh yes - cockerel. Hands down.

That looks more like a female that is a breed with a large comb to me. The comb should be almost red at 7 weeks if it is a cockerel, too.

One of you is right. I really hope it's you, @Saveria!

Someone suggested a Brown Leghorn as a possibility. The legs are the same thickness as the other three.

 

[Saveria]

New pictures.
This is to show the difference in the colors.
View attachment 3560262Pip is the one on the bottom of the picture. Sorry, I rotated me, not the phone. The difference is more noticeable in person.
New picture of Pip.
View attachment 3560269
7 weeks on Sunday. The color is paler in person.


One of you is right. I really hope it's you, @Saveria!

Someone suggested a Brown Leghorn as a possibility. The legs are the same thickness as the other three.

I just don't see any red in that comb, so I think it could still be a pullet. I have seen some breeds that get huge pale combs but are still female, leghorn is one of them.

I guess we'll have to wait and see, but PastyButt is totally right that all hatcheries throw in males as your "extra chick" frequently. I just think maybe you got lucky this time.

 

[IvyBeans]

Oh yes - cockerel. Hands down.

As much as a despise mt healthy, it is pretty common for hatcheries to put extra cockerel chicks into shipments - especially when they are a small number. More chicks = more heat =more likelihood of survival during transport.

They say they only put pullets if you ordered pullets. It seems most people get a rooster though.

 

[Party_Chicken]

New pictures.
This is to show the difference in the colors.
View attachment 3560262Pip is the one on the bottom of the picture. Sorry, I rotated me, not the phone. The difference is more noticeable in person.
New picture of Pip.
View attachment 3560269
7 weeks on Sunday. The color is paler in person.


One of you is right. I really hope it's you, @Saveria!

Someone suggested a Brown Leghorn as a possibility. The legs are the same thickness as the other three.

It’s a golden cuckoo marans.

 

[Sally PB]

It’s a golden cuckoo marans.

And pullet or cockerel...?