One of these is not like the others

[Frazzemrat1]

I wouldn't necessarily say that just because somebody is feathering faster than another means its a male over a female... Feather sexing only works with hybrids that are bred for it. No pure bred chicken can be feather sexed.
Also, with that series of new pics, I didn't see the brown before.... I vote female sex link.

 

[junebuggena]

Look like Black sexlink pullets to me. Australorps and Jersey Giants have a distinctly 'penguin' sort of look, with yellow/white face, throat, and belly.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I wouldn't necessarily say that just because somebody is feathering faster than another means its a male over a female... Feather sexing only works with hybrids that are bred for it. No pure bred chicken can be feather sexed.
Also, with that series of new pics, I didn't see the brown before.... I vote female sex link.

Not totally true. I can usually tell my cochins or Orpingtons sex very young based on how fast they feather out. Males are always slower.

 

[SilberHenne]

I wouldn't necessarily say that just because somebody is feathering faster than another means its a male over a female... Feather sexing only works with hybrids that are bred for it. No pure bred chicken can be feather sexed.
Also, with that series of new pics, I didn't see the brown before.... I vote female sex link.

The last pictures I posted are of a different chick. The fuzzy chick is all black with no other coloration. I have three black chicks of varying unknown linneage. One all black, one looks like a penguin, one has red coming in. None are purebred anything, but hatchery mixes.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but feather sexing on intentional crosses is done as soon as they hatch and refers to the primary pin feathers on their wings at hatch. They quickly grow out enough on cockerels that you can't tell the difference a few days later. I have heard/read/watched people sex chicks based on feather development between 1-2 weeks, as the cockerels are last to get their tail feathers, middle primary coverts, and secondaries. 5 of my 6 have had all these feathers for nearly a week now. The last one is so far behind them. Afterall, Wyandottes are "slow feathering" and all three of mine have more feathers than the mystery mutts, so I'm not sure the feather sexing method applies here.

If the fuzzy one is a sex link like the other two, is she failing to thrive? Should I be worried? They were all the same size and age when I got them. Here's a current picture of the bunch. The one in question is the closest to the camera at the bottom. Penguin to the left and Red on the right. 3 in middle are SLW.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The last pictures I posted are of a different chick. The fuzzy chick is all black with no other coloration. I have three black chicks of varying unknown linneage. One all black, one looks like a penguin, one has red coming in. None are purebred anything, but hatchery mixes.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but feather sexing on intentional crosses is done as soon as they hatch and refers to the primary pin feathers on their wings at hatch. They quickly grow out enough on cockerels that you can't tell the difference a few days later. I have heard/read/watched people sex chicks based on feather development between 1-2 weeks, as the cockerels are last to get their tail feathers, middle primary coverts, and secondaries. 5 of my 6 have had all these feathers for nearly a week now. The last one is so far behind them. Afterall, Wyandottes are "slow feathering" and all three of mine have more feathers than the mystery mutts, so I'm not sure the feather sexing method applies here.

If the fuzzy one is a sex link like the other two, is she failing to thrive? Should I be worried? They were all the same size and age when I got them. Here's a current picture of the bunch. The one in question is the closest to the camera at the bottom. Penguin to the left and Red on the right. 3 in middle are SLW.

View attachment 1314543

Just looks like her tail feathers haven't come in yet. Some can be slower to get them. You can wing feather sex a few different breeds but not all breeds.

 

[SilberHenne]

Thought I would post an update on the mystery chick. That's the one in the middle. The three black ones are definitely australorp crosses as they have iridescence to their black feathers. One even has a purple sheen to her. The two definite pullets have red on their necks and shoulders like sex links, but it is possible they are Aquilas instead of sex links, which would be Black Austalorp x RIR.

Our mystery chick is still looking and acting questionably different from the others at 5 weeks old. Very scrawny, long legs, stands upright, not flighty, and bigger/brighter comb. I'm very happy with how pretty they are getting!