Olive Egger Sexing Help

[NatJ]

Black Copper Maran

In that case, the one with white barring must be a male.

Knowing that the father has no barring (Black Copper Maran), the only way to get a chick with barring is from a mother with barring-- and that is a sexlink cross, where only the sons have barring.

From the development of their combs & wattles, I think both chicks are probably males. The white barring on one is just an extra way to confirm it (assuming the father really was a Black Copper Maran, as you say he was "supposed to be.")

 

[Bearded_dude]

In that case, the one with white barring must be a male.

Knowing that the father has no barring (Black Copper Maran), the only way to get a chick with barring is from a mother with barring-- and that is a sexlink cross, where only the sons have barring.

From the development of their combs & wattles, I think both chicks are probably males. The white barring on one is just an extra way to confirm it (assuming the father really was a Black Copper Maran, as you say he was "supposed to be.")

Great info. I’be been pretty sure they were male for 5-6 weeks now, but have been holding out hope. It’s my 3rd attempt to add olive eggers to my flock and I’ve never got a hen.

 

[MINNIIMOO]

I got two new olive eggers this year and I’m looking for help in sexing them. Father is supposed to be a BCM. Mother is unknown.

Photo labeled number 1 is chick 1 at 5 weeks. Number 2 is the same chick at 7 weeks. Some red in the comb, barred look, energetic.

Number 3 and 4 are or chick number 2 at 7 weeks. Front view with the reddish comb and back view for the feathers

Thoughts?

They are so different from each other I’ve been hopefully that one is a pulley and one is a cockerel, but I’m starting to lean towards two very unique cockerels.

Black chook hen, thinking stumpy tail bardrock is a roo. Females tails grow out faster in my experience.

 

[Bearded_dude]

In that case, the one with white barring must be a male.

Knowing that the father has no barring (Black Copper Maran), the only way to get a chick with barring is from a mother with barring-- and that is a sexlink cross, where only the sons have barring.

From the development of their combs & wattles, I think both chicks are probably males. The white barring on one is just an extra way to confirm it (assuming the father really was a Black Copper Maran, as you say he was "supposed to be.")

So I reached out to the breeder and it may actually be a Cuckoo Maran, not a Black Copper Maran. Would that change the conversation on that barring?

 

[NatJ]

So I reached out to the breeder and it may actually be a Cuckoo Maran, not a Black Copper Maran. Would that change the conversation on that barring?

Yes, a Cuckoo Maran rooster can produce both sons and daughters that have white barring.

I think your specific chick looks like a cockerel anyway, but if the father is a Cuckoo Maran, we cannot double-check the sexing by looking at the feather color.

 

[jennsanders74]

Alright, here they are at about 10 weeks old. Same 2 chicks in the pictures. Still am not sure, but leaning toward cockerels. I have seen them raising their hackle feathers and sparring a bit with each other.

Very friendly to me, but maybe that’s a bad sign as they aren’t remotely intimidated by me.

No crowing yet.

These were my babies the darker one turned out to be a cockerel. So he had to go to a farm. My guess is you have two cockerels.