My birds. Unsure if one is a boy or girl?

[cmom]

Here are some of my pure Rhode Island Reds and some Red Sex-Links. I had some single comb female Rhode Island Whites (which are generally Rose Comb) I was breeding with a Rhode Island Red male to make the Red Sex-Links.

 

[All4Eggz]

Now I'm not sure what to do? This is our first time with chickens, but I don't think I want a rooster. But we've had them since they were only a few days old so I don't really want to get rid of him either. They are currently about 7 weeks old. What are my options here?

I don't really know how this works. I wanted hens just to lay eggs for us. What if I keep the roo? He breeds my hens and then they lay fertilized eggs that are not good for eating? I don't want to breed and raise more chicks. Just want some hens to lay eggs for eating. And due to the size of my coop, I don't want any more than 4-5 chickens. Any advice?

A rooster is good to have around, whether or not you want to raise chicks
Your option would be to cull him...
or
- Roosters are great protectors of a flock.
- They like to find food for their hens
- You CAN eat fertilized eggs- they are completely safe. Until you start incubating, nothing is developed yet. (except tiny embryo - a dot)

I would totally keep the rooster. Especially because he's bonded with his flock.

If you don't have much space, I wouldn't stress. He's a bantam so he's smaller. He won't take up too much space.

 

[cmom]

When I got my first flock I was only interested in eggs. Some years later like you I got some chicks from a feed store that were supposed to be females but I did get a male. From then on I have kept the males. I do breed my own birds and around half will be males. I do grow them out and keep the best as my future breeders and sell the rest which helps offset the cost of the feed. As you may have guessed I love to take pictures. Here are some of my past males.

This is a young male I sold to a young girl. She showed him in the youth division and got a champion with him. I love my Reds.

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

When I got my first flock I was only interested in eggs. Some years later like you I got some chicks from a feed store that were supposed to be females but I did get a male. From then on I have kept the males. I do breed my own birds and around half will be males. I do grow them out and keep the best as my future breeders and sell the rest which helps offset the cost of the feed. As you may have guessed I love to take pictures. Here are some of my past males.
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This is a young male I sold to a young girl. She showed him in the youth division and got a champion with him. I love my Reds.
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I love your birds! I used to love reading your contributions to the heritage RIR thread years ago. One of the reasons I eventually got some of my RC RIRs of my own

 

[cmom]

I'm not sure where in Texas you are put you could probably sell him at a swap. We have one a couple times a month and I sell the males I don't want to keep. Being new at chicken keeping I don't blame you for not wanting a male and hatching chicks. Some day you might but you can always get another of the breed of your choice should you decide on hatching, I have chicks that were supposed to hatch tomorrow but some decided to hatch today. Again, good luck and have fun with your flock...
https://www.poultryshowcentral.com/Texas_Swap.html

 

[cmom]

I love your birds! I used to love reading your contributions to the heritage RIR thread years ago. One of the reasons I eventually got some of my RC RIRs of my own

I haven't posted there for quite a long time. I love my RC's and SC's. I have never crossed lines and still have my original lines. I have some due to hatch tomorrow.

 

[cmom]

I still have one of my original hens (Lady). She is the last of the originals. She is a bit bent up but still gets around and lays eggs.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Here are my birds. The black one and the two reds are female Sexlinks. The store was unsure about the breed and gender of this fourth one. It has lots of feathers on it's legs and feet, and a more pronounce comb which is much more red that the other three. Ironically my daughter named this one Bob. I think she jinxed me and we ended up with a cockerel here. Any thoughts from y'all on breed and gender?
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What a handsome Mr

 

[All4Eggz]

SO interesting! I have some exactly like it, similar sized!
Except I have a Golden laced wyandotte (He's a cockerel), 2 isa browns, and a black sex link! ALmost exactly the same as you!!

Your golden laced cochin looks like a cockerel, while the others look like pullets.

 

[All4Eggz]

Here are my birds. The black one and the two reds are female Sexlinks. The store was unsure about the breed and gender of this fourth one. It has lots of feathers on it's legs and feet, and a more pronounce comb which is much more red that the other three. Ironically my daughter named this one Bob. I think she jinxed me and we ended up with a cockerel here. Any thoughts from y'all on breed and gender?
View attachment 2663211View attachment 2663213View attachment 2663214View attachment 2663216

The red ones look like isa browns, not sex links... the black one is a Black Sex link though. The black and gold is def a gold laced cochin