My new girls? Time once again to question gender

[red_chikn]

Most definitely rooster

 

[Jadenrosesmom]

Need to see them standing in natural profile with no hands on them.

I agree that would be best. I tried but their grow out pen is very shaded so they are very difficult to see and when I let them out with the big girls they aren't still long enough to get a picture. The big girls are still pretty meanto the littles.

 

[Jadenrosesmom]

They're too young as of right now to show male specific plumage. You'll have to wait another several weeks for those. I agree nothing screams roo yet. They have a little differently than I remember my BR chicks behaving. More chest bumping and bossing each other around but I wonder if it's due to them being from different hatches so different ages causing early dominance squabbles that my girls didn't have?

So far, nothing screaming cockerel.

~Alex

 

[Seaecho]

If you still quietly by on a stump or chair, and don't appear threatening, after a while they will relax and you'll probably be able to get some decent pics.

 

[Jadenrosesmom]

They are feathering nicely and nothing is screaming roo to me at this point. My next question is the littles are in a small pre fab coop inside the big girls run. The past few days I have been opening the grow out pen and letting the littles spend their days out with the bigs. They are doing well, the big girls still tell them to go away but no blood drawn or injuries. I would like to put them in the big coop on the roost but worry about them being locked in with the big girls in the morning until I open the coop with no grow out pen to run to. How long would you guys wait to try to move them into the big coop?

 

[Jadenrosesmom]

 

[Seaecho]

Wow, they've gotten big! I see at least one roo there I think!

 

[Seaecho]

In looking again, maybe not. Depending on how accurate the lighting was, I don't see much pink/red on any of them.

 

[Hensndoes]

I don't think any are boys. Marans cockerels show themselves pretty early with a red comb. I've had 3 boys now and all were obvious by 4-5 weeks. Here is a pick of mine at 6 wks. Dark pic but that comb isn't flushed. It's just red and had been for a week+. The other maran is a slow developer and still hasn't shown itself to be a boy - but in this case the slow feathering keeps me suspicious. It otherwise looks just like the 2 pullets.

ETA: the two pullet I speak of are BCM and not shown in the pic.

 

[Jadenrosesmom]

Ya I'm really thinking 3 pullets which is great! Now if my big girls would stop being jerks!