My new flock, take a guess at the genders

[BGinVA]

I know its early as they are still quite young, but it will be interesting how the guesses change as they mature, so come on play along even if you don't consider yourself that knowlegable, its a good chance to test your skills. I'll update pics periodically.

Background - What I am supposed to have is 6 Barred Rock and 2 Black Australorp, but you are welcome to give opinions if you think that is incorrect as well. I bought the chicks from a local fellow, and while his coop and pen were clean and his flock seemed healthy and well cared for, he didn't seem to be as knowlegable as some of the folks on here. He stated that all of the chicks were about 2.5 weeks old (even though his cragislist post said they were day old, apparently he renewed the ad and didn't update that part). I kind of think that I have a bigger mix of ages just based on the sizes and different signs of maturity I'm seeing in different birds (but that may just be the way they are like kids). They were sold straight run, and even though I read about trying to sex them before going, I know I didn't do well on my first try, lol.

So here they are, if I had to make an uneducated guess, I'd say I have maybe 4 of each, but I could still be way off, lol. Oh, and I know the pics aren't that good, they were moving around like crazy, feel free to suggest angles that I can take next time to help with identifying their gender.

 

[hdowden]

i see a whole lot of cockerels maybe 2 pullets

 

[BGinVA]

Thanks Hdowden for your opinion, can you give me some examples of what you are looking at so I can keep an eye on it as they continue to mature. I'll post new pics in a couple of weeks and see if any opinions change, but what you are seeing is what I've been afraid of.

 

[ESofVA]

me too. Maybe even just 1 pullet.

 

[hdowden]

this is the only for sure pullet i see the rest have almost completely yellow legs and very bright barring which indicates cockerels if you go to pick out barred rocks again choose those that have a very dark slate wash down the front of their legs. don't choose any that have a light wash those will end up as cockerels. the darker the wash the better chance you have that its a pullet. you want no yellow showing at all on the bitty's legs with this dark wash. i find that that works the best in picking pullets for the barred rocks and the Dominiques

what color are the legs on these two it also has a cuckoo pattern instead of barring...did this person have any marans on their property?

this one im guessing maybe a pullet and your only aussie

 

[BGinVA]

The second one's legs are not really yellow but not as dark as the first one you reposted. I'm not sure what all this guy had, he had a variety of birds including ducks, peacocks and I think some turkeys. I got the BR's and the Australorps from the same place and the way they were all going at it in the pen, I'm not sure how he even knows who the fathers are, so not sure any of them are not mixed breed.

 

[AmyLM]

well there are a lot of very yellow legs there. But to be 100% honest... its too hard to tell when they are this young. I had one bird that EVERYONE here said was a cockerel.. well.. shes laid more than a dozen eggs now so I would be willing to bet they were wrong on her gender I know its hard to wait but honestly... just wait till we can tell easier.

 

[BGinVA]

Just as an FYI, this is what I read and printed out when trying to sex them. I'm thinking from some stuff I've read here that this e-how isn't exactly right, particularly number 4, which I think I might have relied too heavily on:-(

http://www.ehow.com/how_6101169_tell-barred-rock-baby-chicks.html

 

[Pele]

Just as an FYI, this is what I read and printed out when trying to sex them. I'm thinking from some stuff I've read here that this e-how isn't exactly right, particularly number 4, which I think I might have relied too heavily on:-(

http://www.ehow.com/how_6101169_tell-barred-rock-baby-chicks.html

ooooooo boy, # 4 is WAY wrong. As a general rule, females are the darker ones due to chicken genetics. Cockerels will inherit a double dose of the barring gene, which results in more white on their feathers, which = lighter overall color.

edited to add comparison pics for coloration
roo:





hen:



Also, I agree with Hdowden, you have a couple of Marans or Marans crosses, depending on their leg color.

 

[BGinVA]

I'm sad to report that the one that everybody was sure was a pullet, turned up dead in the brooder today, I don't know what happened, but I'm going to TS tomorrow to get some medicated chick start to make sure they don't have something that might get spread around that I can easily prevent. Any other suggestion on protecting the rest of them since I don't know what caused her demise?