Not Sure If You've Got A Pullet Or Cockerel? Click Here! Thread 2

[flowerchicks]

My 10 week old RIR, trying to figure out cockerel or pullet!View attachment 1362695 View attachment 1362698 View attachment 1362699 View attachment 1362701 View attachment 1362704

I'm going with pullet. I don't see any signs of sickle or hackle feathers and the comb is still not dark red.

 

[debid]

Not exactly sure of age, somewhere around 4 weeks. Are you able to sex HER yet? TIA!View attachment 1362432

Nope. Solid colors require waiting for comb development and/or rooster feathers. Try at 8 weeks.

 

[Pickers]

If the ages are accurate, you have two cockerel Wyandottes, a silver laced and a blue laced red. The development of red wattles and ears on the silver laced is a strong indication even though he doesn't have his rooster feathers yet. The blue laced red is only slightly more developed than I'd expect for a pullet but has the darker wing shading to go with that. It will be much more obvious in a couple of weeks as they have their "teen" molt.

Thanks so much, we had our suspicions they were both cockerels but hoping one would be a pullet at least. Can I ask what would be the best thing for me to do now long term with my current flock and the cockerels? Do I keep one and find a home for the other? They already have arguments like cockerels ! Bobby Brown (Blue Laced Red) is very aggressive, Freckles is lovely and will sit on my lap and have a scratch and happily go to sleep.
We will keep them away from the girls until they are bigger or as long as we can but really unsure of what is the best course of action moving forward if they both turn out to be cockerels as you said.
Many many thanks

 

[Belbris]

Here's photos of our 2 australorp birds (a splash & a blue) at just 2 days off 14 weeks old. I'm sure the blue australorp is a hen, but mixed thoughts on splash. Can't see any of the rooster feathers coming in though - but not entirely sure what I'm looking for. Our splash australorp feathered first as a young chick. They were vent sexed as female at birth.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

One day short of 5-weeks old, bantam EEer and a bantam Cochin. (The Cochin pics I also posted in a separate thread updating their pics from 3wo). If you know cockerel or pulley for either, can you tell me how/why you know? I’m trying to learn - thanks!

View attachment 1362401 View attachment 1362402 View attachment 1362403 View attachment 1362404 View attachment 1362405 View attachment 1362406

Sexing a chick varies widely with breed. Sometimes the testosterone works it's magic early... my Serama males are mostly obvious at 3-4 weeks. The combs start growing and turning pink or red. That doesn't guarantee that all the other chicks are pullets... there could always be a late bloomer. So really, what we are doing is identifying cockerels as early as possible, and waiting to see on the rest. For most breeds, usually by about 8 weeks, if you don't see male traits, you probably have a pullet.

Your EE is not showing any male traits yet.
I'm looking at 3 things:
1) "Her" pea comb is flat and low, no sign of reddening. As she gets older, you will see a thin narrow ridge growing down the center of the comb. If she is a cockerel, the ridge will be wide and lumpy looking and show some pink or red.
2) Side view shows the pattern on her wings to be evenly distributed. If she is a pullet, as I suspect, this pattern will stay even. A cockerel will grow patches of color on the wing, red patches for a gold colored chick like yours.
3) Her breast is salmon colored. That is a female trait. If you start seeing black feathers growing on the breast, then she's a boy.
The EE is too young to be 100% sure. They do a lot of growing and changing at 5 weeks, so keep an eye out and look for the signs. If I had to bet, I'd bet pullet.

I am less familiar with Cochins, but I am not seeing any obvious male traits yet. The comb seems smallish, not pink, and no wattle development. Since this bird is a solid color (so far!), you have less traits to work with... comb and wattles are about the only signs at this age.
Male specific feathering usually begins closer to 10-12 weeks, where long pointed saddle and hackle feathers start to grow, and the sickle shaped tail feathers that roosters have will begin to come in. The comb and wattles will usually give away a cockerel long before these feathers develop, so hopefully you won't have long to wait.
If I had to bet, I'd also bet on the Cochin being a pullet, but I wouldn't bet much... I have never raised them and am not familiar with their rate of development.

Hope you can post an update in a week or two so we can see how they turn out.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Here's photos of our 2 australorp birds (a splash & a blue) at just 2 days off 14 weeks old. I'm sure the blue australorp is a hen, but mixed thoughts on splash. Can't see any of the rooster feathers coming in though - but not entirely sure what I'm looking for. Our splash australorp feathered first as a young chick. They were vent sexed as female at birth.

At 14 weeks, I would expect a male to have fully red comb and wattles. The splash looks pinkish to me and so I think a pullet.
Look under her feathers on her back near the base of her tail to see if any pointed saddle feathers are sprouting. They should be visible by now if it is a cockerel.
The Australorps like to keep people guessing.

 

[manorhousechix]

New chick mama here! I’ve got 6 chicks (youngest is 5 weeks, oldest is 7 weeks). I’ve got some ideas but would love a sexpert opinion!

I think the white one is a pullet:



This mottled little Easter Egger is unknown:



This seabright is unknown:







D’uccle #1:






Buff Brahma (maybe?):






D’uccle #2:





Thanks for your help everybody! Can’t wait to find out!

 

[Faraday40]

One day short of 5-weeks old, bantam EEer and a bantam Cochin. (The Cochin pics I also posted in a separate thread updating their pics from 3wo). If you know cockerel or pulley for either, can you tell me how/why you know? I’m trying to learn - thanks!

View attachment 1362401 View attachment 1362402 View attachment 1362403 View attachment 1362404 View attachment 1362405 View attachment 1362406

So far both look female (at least I'm not seeing any of the early sign of male.) There's always a chance of a late bloomer, but the EE has the narrow comb & hen coloring at this point. Cochins tend to grow combs & wattles early -if male - & I'm not seeing any pink yet.

 

[Faraday40]

My 10 week old RIR, trying to figure out cockerel or pullet!View attachment 1362695 View attachment 1362698 View attachment 1362699 View attachment 1362701 View attachment 1362704

Wow. This is actually a tough one. The size of comb/wattles & leggy stance make me think cockerel, but the face color is very pale for a male. I guess I'm leaning toward male but I certainly wouldn't give him away just in case he's a she.

 

[Faraday40]

Here's photos of our 2 australorp birds (a splash & a blue) at just 2 days off 14 weeks old. I'm sure the blue australorp is a hen, but mixed thoughts on splash. Can't see any of the rooster feathers coming in though - but not entirely sure what I'm looking for. Our splash australorp feathered first as a young chick. They were vent sexed as female at birth.

Both look female to me. By 14 wks, a male's comb would look more red.

I had a recent an orpington hatch in which I wanted a male. Wouldn't you know it, I hatched 7 females and only one male (who wasn't even breeder quality). For a while I thought I had 2 males, but this "male" turned out to be another female. Your splash reminds me of this female.