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

[ChickenHermit]

Hello. I have a four month old bantam frizzle that I am beginning to suspect is a cockerel. These are my first chickens and this is my only frizzle so I have no one to compare her (him?) to, and it seems hard to tell with frizzles. She has started kind of crowing in the morning, not a full on crow but seems like she's trying to make the sound. She's a little bit of a bully with the other chickens and I've seen her chest bump them. I'm attaching some pictures from today and one of when we got her at 4 weeks old. Thank you for taking a look!

P.S. I know their waterer is sitting low, I was just letting them free range today and took it out of their pen and set it on a empty pot while they were running around.

That definitely looks like a cockerel, and the behavior matches up as well.

 

[Tristan+4]

The best way to tell with these is to compare them to each other. I know you were concentrating your efforts on getting decent pics of the suspect but standing alone, there's nothing to compare against.

That said, the comb/wattles don't look especially masculine and the tail shape is still feminine at 20 weeks so I suspect it's a pullet. There isn't any definitive way to tell until she lays an egg.

BTW, your water bucket should be up higher. They should be able to walk underneath it without ducking and reach up to drink.

You're right...Comparison pics would make it easier. This is really the only one I got when those were taken - Newt is the one running to me but you can see some ladies at the bucket. For 4 months I have suspected something was different about this bird...it doesn't look like it's sisters but doesn't scream cockerel either. It is one of my favorite Campines and I am just dying to be sure. 4-8 week waiting game for eggs. Maybe sooner, but I'm trying not to be overly optimistic with the cold.

I wasn't aware the water should be higher; thanks for the tip! We just switched to this set up.

 

[Tristan+4]

Here's a body shot of another girl...head got cut off though.

 

[benjamin123]

4 month old leghorn mix. Not sure of gender as their comb etc usually grow quickly and large for both male and females.

 

[debid]

You're right...Comparison pics would make it easier. This is really the only one I got when those were taken - Newt is the one running to me but you can see some ladies at the bucket. For 4 months I have suspected something was different about this bird...it doesn't look like it's sisters but doesn't scream cockerel either. It is one of my favorite Campines and I am just dying to be sure. 4-8 week waiting game for eggs. Maybe sooner, but I'm trying not to be overly optimistic with the cold.

I wasn't aware the water should be higher; thanks for the tip! We just switched to this set up.

Hm... Now you really have me questioning it as those others don't have much comb at all yet. How long ago did the wattles/comb grow on this one?

As for the bucket, I start the newbies with the nipple at eye level and then raise it once they catch on. You don't want them struggling to reach but tipping the beak upward is ideal as they can just stand there holding the lever to one side and chug away. If you have a large difference in heights, set it up for the taller birds and put something under a nipple as a booster for the shorter ones. I'm able to have chicks hopping up on a cinder block to drink alongside adults this way.

 

[debid]

4 month old leghorn mix. Not sure of gender as their comb etc usually grow quickly and large for both male and females.View attachment 1239014 View attachment 1239016

At 4 months, I'd look for rooster saddle feathers but you've only provided head shots.

 

[Tristan+4]

Hm... Now you really have me questioning it as those others don't have much comb at all yet. How long ago did the wattles/comb grow on this one?

Right! I was actually surprised because all the other girls really have little comb and wattles to speak of, and most pictures I've now seen of Campines their age are further progressed. Minus Newt, obviously. S/he wasn't as pronounced as other young cockerel pictures I've seen but has always been the largest and reddest in regards to those things.

 

[valinalbury]

Okay, here goes! All these chooks are 8-9 weeks old. There's a pekin, an Araucana and a Plymouth Rock. I'd be really grateful for your thoughts!

 

[debid]

Okay, here goes! All these chooks are 8-9 weeks old. There's a pekin, an Araucana and a Plymouth Rock. I'd be really grateful for your thoughts!

The Pekin is a cockerel.

 

[amanda223]

4 weeks old. Any guesses?