New to chickens and learning by mistakes

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Kids and Chicks

Kids and Chicks

In the Brooder
6 Years
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We are new to backyard chickens and I think we may have rushed into it a bit. Bought four "pullets" at a chicken swap 3 1/2 weeks ago. The farmer was selling them straight run but agreed to take back any roosters and helped pick out chickens most likely to be pullets. We were told they were 5 months, so should be close to 6 months now. No eggs so far even though they have been on laying feed for over 3 weeks. They raise hackles at each other a lot and sometimes kick at each other. The Barred Rock started crowing, so we know he's a cockerel. Not sure on the other three. Any advice and idea on the gender of our "pullets" would be great.


Little Bird


Red--back feathers had been plucked out by other birds before we got it, growing back nicely


Big Bird--pecks at our Rock whenever he crows
 
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Hi and welcome to BYC from northern Michigan
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The two buff birds appear to be pullets, and should be near laying - usually they start between 23 and 26 weeks of age, although the stress of moving may have put them off a little. Not sure about the red one.
 
Thanks. I posted some pictures of our "pullets" on the gender/breed forum and have had 100% responses that they are cockerels. We are not really sure what to do with them!! We don't want to keep wasting time with cockerels but would hate to get rid of true pullets on a panic. Their behavior is kinda aggressive when we put them in the yard. They raise hackles at each other a lot, and sometimes kick at each other. The bigger Buff also pecks at the Barred Rock whenever he crows (he HAS to find a new home). It looks like the Buffs may be getting some saddle feathers, so we're wondering if they are cockerels. I think the RIR is actually younger than 5 months. It is just an ugly bird right now!

RedSox, where in Kansas are you from? I grew up near Colby in NW Kansas.
 
Welcome to BYC!!! Glad to have you aboard!!
 
PS I think selling them as old as he said, he should have been able to tell sex by then. I don't know - if he knew which were pullets he would have sold as such and asked more money than for ones he expected to be roosters.

Most birds offered straight run will end up being roosters - they just want to sell them fast.
 
That was my thinking too. The seller just pulled out cockerels that could be passed off as pullets. My husband just really liked the age and trusted the guy. We are still deciding on what to do with the 3 we haven't 100% identified.
 

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