Possible Roo?

[Painted Calls]

Can you get another whole body pic?

 

[JulesRSA]

Can you get another whole body pic?

Here we go! Hope these are helpful they’re around 13 weeks old now.

 

[SmiYa0126]

Here we go! Hope these are helpful they’re around 13 weeks old now.

Looks like pullet to me!

 

[Painted Calls]

I'm calling slow developing cockerel due to this:

That's not significant color, but it's there. Please keep us updated! This is a difficult bird. @Rhodebar Lover what do you think?

 

[JulesRSA]

I'm calling slow developing cockerel due to this:
View attachment 3346103

That's not significant color, but it's there. Please keep us updated! This is a difficult bird. @Rhodebar Lover what do you think?

Thank you, @Overo Mare - There’s a little copper coming in around the neck as well I think I’m going to take the 3 new birds to our local avian to get them properly sexed, just to avoid the heartache of getting attached to this lot and then having to return some of them as well

 

[JulesRSA]

Do you guys still feel fairly certain on these 2 being pullets? I’m nervous that the red and blue/grey one is actually younger because it’s so much smaller than the others.. in which case it could also be an undercover cockerel. It is also a cream legbar-based EE, whereas the others are Araucana, Marans, and Andalusian/Minorca hybrids respectively - could that be the reason for the size difference? it’s literally half the size of the others

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

I'm calling slow developing cockerel due to this:
View attachment 3346103

That's not significant color, but it's there. Please keep us updated! This is a difficult bird. @Rhodebar Lover what do you think?

Ugh. It's always the stunted birds that are super hard. The OP is obviously not to blame because this bird was just purchased but the stress barring and poor feathering make it difficult. They look to be previously housed in improper conditions and/or improperly fed. This leads to pretty unpredictable maturity rates. I honestly am thinking pullet compared to the rates of maturity of the known cockerels in this thread. We'll know for sure when it's fed a high protein diet and gets in some more feathers!! OP, definitely keep us updated!

 

[Painted Calls]

Ugh. It's always the stunted birds that are super hard. The OP is obviously not to blame because this bird was just purchased but the stress barring and poor feathering make it difficult. They look to be previously housed in improper conditions and/or improperly fed. This leads to pretty unpredictable maturity rates. I honestly am thinking pullet compared to the rates of maturity of the known cockerels in this thread. We'll know for sure when it's fed a high protein diet and gets in some more feathers!! OP, definitely keep us updated!

I want to say pullet. The ONLY reason I'm on the fence are those two patches of rust.

 

[JulesRSA]

Ugh. It's always the stunted birds that are super hard. The OP is obviously not to blame because this bird was just purchased but the stress barring and poor feathering make it difficult. They look to be previously housed in improper conditions and/or improperly fed. This leads to pretty unpredictable maturity rates. I honestly am thinking pullet compared to the rates of maturity of the known cockerels in this thread. We'll know for sure when it's fed a high protein diet and gets in some more feathers!! OP, definitely keep us updated!

Thank you @Rhodebar Lover - I have actually got an appointment with our local small animal and avian vet tomorrow afternoon my time, to get them sexed and just generally checked out, because even as a complete novice flock owner, I can see that these poor birds were not given proper care. I’ll keep you guys posted - praying for pullets! I’ve already alerted the person who put me onto this “breeder” and reported the advertisement the “breeder” placed online, which has been taken down. I’m going to report him to the local ASPCA as well.

I am feeding a combination of starter crumble (20% protein) and grower pellets (18% protein, with supplements for growth support) on an 80/20 basis to get their protein intake up, and limiting treats to small amounts of mealworms and a spinach “piñata” once a week (also a boredom buster with all the unseasonal rain we’ve been having limiting their free ranging time!)

The difference between the new birds and the single pullet I kept from the previous batch, who has spent 2 extra weeks on a proper diet, is unbelievable. Holding thumbs that I can keep and do the same for the rest of them.

 

[Finnie]

I think this one is a boy. I circled what looks like saddle feathers, although if they are scruffy due to malnutrition, maybe they aren’t pointy saddle feathers. But I do still think he has red wing patches. The head and face look pullet-like to me. If it were my bird, I would wait and watch a little bit longer before I got rid of it, but I would believe it was male until proven otherwise.

Good job reporting the seller. Although I guess you can’t expect any refund now. That’s pretty shameful of him to have your replacements boxed up so you couldn’t see them. I think he’s either extremely clueless or a scammer.