New to this forum, am I in the right place?

[aliris]

Hi folks - Is this the right forum to learn about baby-adolescent chick behavior?

We have 5 "babies" who are now young adults, I think.

A couple days ago one, who I had been pretty sure was a he, announce his self with a very funny amateur cock-a-doodle-do. So funny, like a adolescent human's voice cracking - hope I'm not offending anyone human or avian.

So that one's male. Then there's another who the two have been doing chest bumps for several weeks now - does that imply the other is male? Because... I just saw that other one seemingly mounting the male. I mean.... huh????

And then that seemingly-certain-to-be-male was seen tonight facing off in the most hilarious stare-down with another "baby". The two were horizontal to the ground glaring/gazing/staring each other down - so funny. Just riveted. And then the certain-male's neck feathers were all ruffed up. I'm guessing that must be a male behavior too?

Oh my goodness so much behavior! But... does this mean I have *3* roo's???? What to do! These are me 3 favorites too! Which is perhaps not coincidental, probably "favorites" are those with the most... "behavior"?

I did not realize I would fall so in love; I do not know how I will give them up? Anyone in SoCal want some absolutely endearing cockerels?

Or, is any of what I'm describing implying at least some might not necessarily be male?

Thank you!

 

[rosemarythyme]

You can post clear photos of each bird in question to this forum: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/what-breed-or-gender-is-this.15/ with age and breed (if known) and folks can help you figure out if these are indeed boys or not.

Females can chest bump, flare neck feathers, even mount one another. But (without knowing their ages) crowing and mounting at a young age would be most likely indicative of males.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hi folks - Is this the right forum to learn about baby-adolescent chick behavior?

It is as good as any, don't worry about that.

is any of what I'm describing implying at least some might not necessarily be male?

I've had young pullets exhibit that behavior. I had a hen that was laying eggs flare her neck feathers and beat the crap out of a cockerel that was trying to mate her.

How old are they? Often by five weeks they exhibit signs that they might be either male or female. If you can post a close-up photo showing the head so we can see the comb and wattles (if any). We are looking at both size and color, bright red indicating male.

I like a second photo also, a shot showing legs and profile. A male's legs are often thicker and they can have a more upright stance. With all these clues put together we can often figure it out by five weeks of age. But some are easier than others. I had one that I thought was a pullet until he was about 15 weeks old. Sometimes they develop late.

I just saw that other one seemingly mounting the male. I mean.... huh????

Again, how old are they? I've seen females mount other chickens even to the point of touching vents. That was not about sex and fertilizing eggs but about dominance.

Still, with everything you've said, I think you have at least two boys, probably three. But don't make any rash irreversible decisions until you know for sure.

 

[aliris]

Gosh - just erased a looooong thread; serves me right.

Thank you for offering to sex my babies! There are five. I'll go through them light-to-dark. But some are more ambiguous than others! They first hatched on July 10, so just under 8 weeks now; they're huge. Mama still stands by them.

Here you can see the crests of the two lightest. The whitish one is "Abyza" or more likely "Abyzo". But I am not sure about him/er. S/he's been seen chest-bumping for a long while with the greyish one, but I also saw her/him mounting the greyish one. Both their crests are similar and they are a similar size:

The grey one is undeniably male. Evidence: https://tinyurl.com/voicecrck -- I cannot stop laughing at this thing.

The white one was seen locking eyes with Farro, the very large black-brown one coming up next. It was hysterical. The whitish one ruffed up the feathers on its neck and the two of them were like north and south-going Zaks. Neither would budge. Even though Farro is pretty easy-going ordinarily, just lets everyone be. this whitish one though.... wow. Likes to get into spats.

Both the grey and white can be aggressive around food they cannot control themselves over (read: black sesame seeds) - peck that hand that feeds them. It's very amusing.

So here comes the black ones. Farro is first up, huge and I think because the crest is big, is also a male?! So many males! And the males are so sweet... the females seem quieter but they are less endearing, not snuggly.

S/he has incredibly silly feet!!

Then comes Teff and Emmer. I think these are my only two hens?

Their crests are smaller and they hate it when I pick them up, or at least they put up a huge fight and then they settle right in:

One has slightly fluffy feet, the other not. Teff has two whispy white feathers on her breast:

And Emmer is all-black...

I didn't even bother trying to pick her up. Now that I'm "analyzing" them so carefully, it seems pretty obvious two have qualitatively smaller crests, smaller personalities, just alike in two groups.

I am never going to be able to choose between these roo's!!! Is there a chance the white one (or black-brown) is not male?

Thanks for looking at my cuties! This has been a lot of fun but as I knew the resulting Sophie's Choice is going to be awful. A friend has been telling me about a stew that tastes particularly and especially good with rooster, not hen and I can't even. With friends like this....

 

[WingItRanch]

I'll go ahead and throw my 2 cents in
... your Barred Rock (I believe it's the one you call the grey one) is definitely male. He has the double white barring. The females are much darker.

The one you say has silly feet, I believe that is a Maran and a probable male. The others you may have to wait until they're a little older since you said they're only 8 weeks.

The black one with a tuff on his/her head is most likely an Olive Egger. Not sure about sex.

Good luck!

 

[aliris]

Yeah, the grey one is the one practicing his crowing. He's definitely a he!! https://tinyurl.com/voicecrck

But that's a good sign that you think it's possible the white-ish one might not be male! I will be sad to lose my Farro!!

Thanks for the 2 cents!

 

[aliris]

I'll go ahead and throw my 2 cents in
... your Barred Rock (I believe it's the one you call the grey one) is definitely male. He has the double white barring. The females are much darker.

The one you say has silly feet, I believe that is a Maran and a probable male. The others you may have to wait until they're a little older since you said they're only 8 weeks.

The black one with a tuff on his/her head is most likely an Olive Egger. Not sure about sex.

Good luck!

What does "double white barring" mean please?

 

[aliris]

Oh my there is a lot of behavior going on around here.

And it seems to go fast when it goes.

So the lowest-auntie-on-the-totem pole won't really leave the babies alone in their coop. The have a predator proof run attached to a coop; the whole thing opens into a yard and then that opens into the rest of our backyard. The more senior dames hang out outside but the lowest among them likes to go inside and menace the Family. And that's not working out great now either. The mama tries to sit in the door and barrs movement, but that's not so good. Then I interfered and chased the lowest-autie out and all the babes ran inside the coop when oh what a ruckus arose! The whitish one was on top of one of the black one's back just reall hanging on and biting and giving her a hard time and she was screaming bloody murder. Mama charged around and literally sat on her unruly boy.

And then the wayward lowest-auntie sneaks back in and everyone's in an uproar again. Oh my.

The two senior auties are sitting with their wings out a little bit, looking for all the world like small hawks. What's with that??

I am not looking forward to all of this unfolding....

 

[SilverBirds]

You have 3 cockerels. The barred Olive Egger, the Sapphire Splash, and one of the Marans.

 

[aliris]

You have 3 cockerels. The barred Olive Egger, the Sapphire Splash, and one of the Marans.

Ok then. Thank you. I think tonight's performance taught me not to hold out hope on that white one .... is - ahem "he" - a "Sapphire Splash"? I bought the fertile eggs from a breeder who specializes in very colorful eggs but what went under the mama was a mixture and I have no idea what emerged...