New to chickens and not sure as to what i have!

[Redsweetness2020]

Totally agree with Silexian. Bantam red Cochin cockrel, silver duckwing Old English Game Bantam, and a white frizzle feathered Cochin. I'm going with girl on the OEGB and probably boy on the frizzle. I know very little about large fowl breeds, so on that I'm no help.

I did some reading and I think I can see why everyone thinks the red is a male, I think everyone was looking at the comb and no tail feathers. But was wondering why you think the frizzle was a male?

 

[chrissynemetz]

Hi, and welcome to BYC! We're glad you joined us!

 

[janiedoe]

Good morning, welcome to BYC.

 

[Silexian]

Holy Cow! You really think my first ones a rooster...it is a little broody like. Constantly gathering up the others and when its not doing that it is picking auguments with 2nd one and third one. But its really cool!

What you are describing is rooster behavior. Gathering up their flock, making sure everyone is accounted for. Letting the rest know he is in charge and settling disputes. When he gets a little more age on him. He will start alerting when he finds a good tidbit of food. To offer to his ladies.

 

[NatJ]

I really read through this and I am such a newbie!!!!!

That page about sexing chickens: ignore the part on "feather sexing" by the wings. It is wrong.

Feather sexing DOES NOT WORK on most chickens.

To produce feather-sexable chicks, you need to make the correct cross of male (fast feathering) and female (slow feathering). Then you get sons that grow feathers slowly and daughters that grow feathers quickly. (Visible in the wings if you look carefully when they hatch, much more obvious a few weeks later when the females have feathers and the males still look half-naked.)

For most chickens, whether they grow feathers fast or slowly is just a breed trait, and tells nothing about their gender.

I did some reading and I think I can see why everyone thinks the red is a male, I think everyone was looking at the comb and no tail feathers. But was wondering why you think the frizzle was a male?

Tail doesn't tell me anything-- I've seen chicks of both genders with long tails, and ones with no tails.

The red Cochin obviously has a comb & wattles that are rather big and red.

The white frizzle has less comb development, but it's still a bit large and very red, considering how young he is. If "he" is male, it will become much more obvious over the next few weeks.

 

[rjohns39]

Hi and welcome Back to BYC We're so happy you've decided to join us

 

[cmom]

I don't see any Rhode Island Reds. I am a breeder of Rhode Island Reds. Here is a picture of a pure true RIR, Good luck with your birds and have fun...

 

[swampfox440]

Welcome to BYC! Glad to have you back .

 

[Redsweetness2020]

That page about sexing chickens: ignore the part on "feather sexing" by the wings. It is wrong.

Feather sexing DOES NOT WORK on most chickens.

To produce feather-sexable chicks, you need to make the correct cross of male (fast feathering) and female (slow feathering). Then you get sons that grow feathers slowly and daughters that grow feathers quickly. (Visible in the wings if you look carefully when they hatch, much more obvious a few weeks later when the females have feathers and the males still look half-naked.)

For most chickens, whether they grow feathers fast or slowly is just a breed trait, and tells nothing about their gender.



Tail doesn't tell me anything-- I've seen chicks of both genders with long tails, and ones with no tails.

The red Cochin obviously has a comb & wattles that are rather big and red.

The white frizzle has less comb development, but it's still a bit large and very red, considering how young he is. If "he" is male, it will become much more obvious over the next few weeks.

Thank you! I agree on that feathering thing cause if truely read, it says for 1-2 day old chicks, after that your gonna have to find another way lol. I also see what you mean about behavior, its not life threatening fights right now but they are happening between red and frizzle. So that will be my next learning experience, what to do with two males in such a small flock...

 

[NatJ]

So that will be my next learning experience, what to do with two males in such a small flock...

Make sure they have a BIG space to live, and several feeders and waterers. Also have a few things they can go under or behind (maybe a small table, a bale of straw, a piece of plywood leaned against the wall so it's like a tunnel-- see what you have available, because the chickens are not too picky.)

That way one male can get away from the other if he wants to, and the hens can get away from both of them if too much mating happens.

And you might want a second pen right next to the main pen. If the males do not get along, or if they are bothering the hens too much, you can put one or both males into the second pen for a while. With wire mesh between them, they can still interact so they are not lonely, and do not feel like strangers if you combine them again later.

(And if you do not need to put the males in the other pen, you can use it for a broody hen or for raising chicks. There are always lots of uses for another chicken pen!)