OMG they are NOT really all toms! Added more photos!

[momma's chickens]

Hi, these four RPs are six month olds and I have been stumped on gender the whole time. I think I have three toms and 1 hen. If correct, two toms need to go. Is it okay to just have a pair instead of a trio? Also if I am correct on the gender, what do I look for when choosing which tom to keep?


Hen - I am thinking. Her feet and legs are smaller and a more pinkish color. She is definitely the most friendly of the buch!

Toms - they fan out and the snoods get longer

Thanks for your help!

Add more photos, this is truly driving me crazy!

 

[poultrykeeper08]

I think 2 hens and 2 toms

Only because in the last pic the one to the left seems to have a smaller snood and les red bumps on the bottom of the neck

But I may be wrong

 

[momma's chickens]

Thanks for replying! I was thinking that except that turkey's feet are the same color and size as the other and it has me stumped. Maybe I will never know for sure!

 

[Lagerdogger]

It can be hard to tell from just a couple of photos, but if they are 6 months old, I would say the middle one in the second photo is a tom and the two on the sides are both hens. The top one looks like a hen too. So my guess would be 1 and 3.

 

[momma's chickens]

I added more pics and still don't really have a clue!

 

[SaraF]

In your first picture, that is a hen. She has exceptional coloring for the breed. I would deffinetly keep her.


Here is a picture that I edited to show you easier which ones have better coloring. The more color of black, the better. I did it based on the photo, but it might be different in your herd. So if you are to get rid of the males, save the one with the best coloring. Switch 3rd and 2nd that I marked. the one with 3rd, has better color markings via wing.

Can I ask where you got your birds?

 

[momma's chickens]

Quote:
So are you saying that all four of the birds in the last pic are toms because I only have four birds total. I got them from a breeder in Spokane Washington. I drove 250 miles round trip for them

because there was none to be found around here after lookng for two years. I figured you only live once and my car gets super gas mileage.

Editted to add: Thanks for your help!!!

 

[SaraF]

I believe you have deffinetly 1 female, maybe another. and a male. there is one i have difficulties with finding it out. at 6 months or so it is hard to tell, earlier than that its easier, and later than that its easier, of course haha. I think in your 2nd photo, its F-M-F. Since you have the chance to be around them and see the way they act, you might be able to tell easier so i'll give you some tips.

females usually stick together, so if you have 1 female and there is 1 other one that is glue to its side, its probably another female.
male will try to establish a pecking order. So if you see ones pecking at each other's head or trying to show off and strut, its a male.
Males are usually the first to the food.
males have thicker legs, not nessacarily larger feet at that age, but the shanks of their feet will be thicker in size. ex. 2 fingers wide compared to a female with delicate legs.
males snoods extend, females dont.
they might start to establish a beard on a male. it will be very tiny at their age but u might look closely or feel around their chest for a growth of one. it will only be about the size of a penny at tht size, but it feels like rough horsehair bristles.
male are the only ones who fan out tales usually.
females have a more delicate head shape (though i couldn't tell well from pictures)
males will start to dwarf the females, meaning they will be bigger than the females. females of RP are only 12 pounds and you can pick up in 1 hand without a problem w/ weight or size. males can get up to 30lbs whe they mature. but at that age the males might start to become a larger bird, or heavier to pick up. taller. etc.

hope this helps, i wish i could be there to see them for myself, they are very beautiful birds. and remind me of my breeding RP Tom who is now 7 yrs old.

they will be excellent breeding/show birds.

here is a photo of my male to my female and his offspring.

u can notice the size difference, and beard. also his coloring if what you look for when breeding. So if you are interesting in breeding your RP, you are shooting for more of that color. Any other questions just ask.

http://tinypic.com/r/efoxg4/7

 

[OmaBird]

They all looked male to me but maybe to young to tell for sure.

 

[Lagerdogger]

With the group photos, I'm switching to two and two

In the picture with the four facing the same direction, it looks like M-F-M-F. The next picture lookf like F (facing left), M-F-M. This is based mostly on snoods.

I agree with Sara that you should be able to feel beards on the males. I'm surprised that there are no noticeable size differences at six months. My hens are usualy obviously smaller than the toms. Is anybody gobbling?