Niederrheiner Thread! All Colors!

[loopy12]

Can you help me sex my niederrheiners? I hatched three of them, and I had thought they were all boys because their combs are all a bit pink at the base, but reading this thread I'm not so sure now. I am in Italy so may not be the same line, but the breeder the eggs came from is excellent. They are 3.5 weeks old.

Chick #1:


Chick #1 again:


Chick#2


Chick #3


All 3 Chicks together. Chick #1 is in the back right hand corner, chick #2 in the middle at the left of the photo, and chick #3 at the front.


All 3 again. Chick #1 at the back, chick #2 at the left and chick #3 at the front.



Apologies for their enclosure - they will free-range but are in quarantine because they went to stay with a friend for a week while I was away).

Thoughts?

 

[UberchicRanch]

@loopy12 ,

Chick #3 definitely cockerel. The rest look like females. Roos are lighter (more white) and hens are more buff (orange).

 

[loopy12]

So the fact their combs are already getting a little pink isn't a concern?
They seem to be maturing very fast, like my lakenvelders did - only head fluff left at 3.5 weeks, fully feathered otherwise.

 

[UberchicRanch]

I wouldn't say it's a concern. You are suppose to easily determine by color, otherwise it doesn't adhere to the autosexing function of the breed. If that's the case, then I would cull them since their genes deviate. (I wouldn't suggest doing that now - it could be because you are still working to have a trained eye to identify. Be patient and soon you will see with confidence).

 

[morgan85]

Here is a newer picture of my rooster. My pullet is hard to get a picture of.

 

[UberchicRanch]

Very nice-looking stud!

 

[Sylvester017]

Here is a newer picture of my rooster. My pullet is hard to get a picture of.

I find certain personalities pose better for pictures and actually like to see their own reflection in the camera lens, while other personalities run when they see a camera in my hand! Fluffy roo!

 

[morgan85]

Thank you everyone. I am not a breeder but he seems to be pretty handsome to me. And of course he was my first to crow of all of my rare breed chickens i got this spring...and he is pretty good at it too haha.

 

[Tweedles87]

I'm new to niederrheiners, but i'm hooked. I added a cockerel and pullet to my flock (thanks Uberchic Ranch!). I just heard the cockerel crow this morning. I thought a moose was talking to my chickens before I realized it was him. Has anyone else noticed that niederrheiners sound different? I have 4 that I've gotten from two different breeders and they all sound very husky and deep when they "talk" loudly. Of course they have the chirps,chirrups, purrs, and other chicken noises too. I hope he keeps practicing when I can hear him. I love when roosters are learning to crow!

 

[BW56]

I too like the looks of the Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiners. Enough that I got some eggs for one of my ladies to hatch. Unfortunately only one of them hatched. 6 yolkers. I'll try again later.