Need help sexing Silver Laced Wyandotte Bantams!!!

[PeakyBeaky]

Here our a pair of my LF SL birds for comparison. The pullet is on the left, rooster on the right(see how he has the black feathers around his neck-this will eventually get covered with his white hackle feathers when they grow in).

 

[RingneckParrot]

omygosh they look just like mine, except the male has more fluff!!! Hmm I still don't know because at 21 - 23 weeks of age I would have expected a crow by now or a squat or maybe even an egg...It's hard because some people say pullets, some people say a pair... I don't know :/ But yes, Gretel looks just like the one on the left with beautiful lacing wheras Hansel has alot of black around his neck with thin lacing and I think he might be getting 'shields' across the tops of his wings like the one on the right...I'll post a picture soon...

 

[LavendarFeather]

I just came across this thread, as I'm researching clues to sexing young Wyandottes. Now I'm in suspense... what was Hansel's final decision???

 

[RingneckParrot]

Well, unfortunatley, still don't know... He/she IT does look like a rooster; saddle feathers, hackle, green sickle and all but... no crows! Also my other hen (not sure of breed) lays white, white eggs but somehow we are finding two of them once in a while.. (they are all housed in the same coop) I am really confused.. So far, no squats or crows from either of them, just that Gretel is more laced than Hansel (I will post a pic!) not even her comb is red!! Her wattles are growing but very slowly and they are still small. Hansel is the onluy one with a big, red, squashy comb and dangley wattles.. funny thing is, they are both the same age!!

 

[LavendarFeather]

Wow! Chickens really keep us guessing, don't they? It sounds like Hansel is a boy if he's got the feathering you describe. But guess it doesn't much matter if he doesn't crow! Thanks for answering

 

[PeakyBeaky]

I would bet you have one of each. They don't always crow right away-and in winter, the hens can take longer to lay, and get "red" combs.

Well, unfortunatley, still don't know... He/she IT does look like a rooster; saddle feathers, hackle, green sickle and all but... no crows! Also my other hen (not sure of breed) lays white, white eggs but somehow we are finding two of them once in a while.. (they are all housed in the same coop) I am really confused.. So far, no squats or crows from either of them, just that Gretel is more laced than Hansel (I will post a pic!) not even her comb is red!! Her wattles are growing but very slowly and they are still small. Hansel is the onluy one with a big, red, squashy comb and dangley wattles.. funny thing is, they are both the same age!!

 

[RingneckParrot]

I've just made a discovery on Hansel that could make up my mind... I think? Anyway, a couple of days ago I was holding him and I felt these little bumps on his legs and when I looked down, it looked like the beginnings of growing spurs!!! They are about half a centimetre long and stickin' out alright! I know this because on my other hens (Gretel especially) their 'spurs' are tiny - they just look like one big scale - none of this sticking out buisness!!! I just PRAY that he won't crow as much or at all because I REALLY wanna keep him - and besides Gretel is gonna get lonley and sad.. And just think, hopefully i'll have silver laced wyandotte bantam chicks OR silver laced wyandotte bantam X ........ ! Anyway, about Gretel, I would have thought she would have been laying by now.. or squatting at the least!! And I got her just as Spring was beginning to happen so she has had PLENTY of time to get ready.. so I dunno? Anyway thanks so much for answering and all I really appreciate it!!!

 

[fuzziecreatures]

I'm calling Hansel a rooster because you said he has the big comb and wattles, green sickle feathers and all. Our young rooster, Godzilla, didn't crow for a while because his daddy is around. Now he only crows when his daddy is out of sight. Your girly, it's winter and she'll probably lay when days get longer. Our barred Plymouth rock, Pilgrim (husband named this one...) didn't lay until she was about 1yr. Everyone is an individual, they do their own thing. Most young pullets lay through the winter once they've started but we have several who molted and a couple who have seemed to molt more than once....

 

[BlueCamas]

You have a pair! Hansel is most definitely the cockerel; red, large comb, saddle and hackle feathers coming in, enormously large legs and feet. Just because he hasn't crowed yet doesn't mean he isn't a boy, I've had many roosters that don't start crowing until 6 months old! Don't expect Gretel to start laying until she is at least 7-8 months old, Bantam + Winter = late layer.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Looking at the most recent pictures, you definitely have a pair there! Dead give away is the rooster legs I see on hansel. He's much more long and lanky than the hen. Pretty birds!