Norma or Norman?

[Arforrabbit]

Hello everyone.

We decided to let the children have some chickens for their first pets and I must say how absorbing they are even to Mum and Dad.

We bought 8 in total, 4 hybrid hens, 1 Barred Rock Bantam and 3 Polish Bantam hens. However, we're not sure if 2 of the Bantams are actually boys.............

The people we bought from advertise themselves as respected breeders but have subsequently found out that they buy the chickens from a commercial breeder or take chicks from local people to sell on. We had the frizzled Bantam for his 'good looks' but we were told the feathers would revert to normal after the first moult. We found out by ourselves about frizzle.

Also, they were about 15 weeks when we got them, so they're now 20 weeks old; when should they start to lay - if they are indeed hens?!

I've attached a couple of pictures of the suspects and would appreciate any pointers to help me out.

Thanks for your time.

 

[Qualara]

Looks like a rooster to me!

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

The frizzled one looks like a pullet to me and the smooth feathered one looks like a cockerel. Her feathers will always be frizzled, even after she molts.

 

[Arforrabbit]

Thanks for that. We can handle one cockerel, my Son is already talking about having chicks now - hope this doesn't end up on his list to Santa (yep, he's already started it

).

 

[BantamLover21]

Cockerel.

 

[Wyandottes7]

He's a cockerel.