Pullet or cockerel, bantam or standard?

[TheBanditQueen]

I have a group of 7 Barred Rocks given me by a neighbor who had too many. She said she couldn't tell if the littlest one was a pullet or cockerel. I don't know how to tell either. Hoping some experienced people will chime in.

This one is significantly smaller than the rest. Is it maybe a bantam? Or just a chicken runt? They are somewhere around 3 1/2 months old. Apparently they all came together in the same chick shipment, so I didn't think they could be different ages.

I can get better pictures if needed.

A mug shot...


Here is Small Fry on the right next to some of his big brothers...



Small Fry on the left...


Om the bottom right...




Thanks everyone!

 

[Griffinsong]

Definitely a cockerel,
Possibly they threw in the wrong breed. He might be a barred OEGB or something like that, though he does have the yellow BR legs. But leg color can change when chicks grow up. [He could be a freebie but that'd be a bit trolly of the hatchery XD.]
They look the same as chicks, aside from size.

 

[BantamLover21]

Definitely a rooster. I'm leaning more towards him being a bantam Barred Rock, but being just a runty Standard is possible, too.

 

[Wyandottes7]

He's a cockerel for sure. I'm guessing that he's a runty Standard.

 

[TheBanditQueen]

Thanks guys!!

What do you look for that tells you the gender?

If he is a runt and not a bantam, would it be inadvisable to keep him for a flock rooster? We are strict on culling for rooster temperament, and so far he seems to be one of the least aggressive. But if it could pass genetic problems to offspring, that would not be a good idea... I wonder what would have stunted him, if that is the case.

 

[juliechick]

I hate to break it to you, but from what I can see, ALL your chickens are roosters. In the third picture, I see definite rooster tails on the big ones.

 

[juliechick]

In this pic the two birds in the front are roosters, the darker ones in back are pullets. Barred Rock pullets appear darker than the roosters.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

I hate to break it to you, but from what I can see, ALL your chickens are roosters. In the third picture, I see definite rooster tails on the big ones. Can you post some more pics?

I agree, all the birds are cockerels. You don't need to post any more photos, since Barred Rock can be sexed by color. Cockerel on the left, pullets on the right (this is not my pic):

 

[TheBanditQueen]

I hate to break it to you, but from what I can see, ALL your chickens are roosters. In the third picture, I see definite rooster tails on the big ones. Can you post some more pics?

Oops, I should have mentioned that. They were given to us as 6 cockerels and 1 uncertain. So we knew what we were getting. Free chicken dinners!

Hubby says we'll just keep eating them if they turn mean until we find the nicest one, or start fresh.

But thank you, juliechick, for saying something! That could have been really bad. I can just see myself in wild consternation at my erstwhile 'hens'... Especially because I don't know how to tell until they are grown.

 

[juliechick]

Oops, I should have mentioned that. They were given to us as 6 cockerels and 1 uncertain. So we knew what we were getting. Free chicken dinners!

Hubby says we'll just keep eating them if they turn mean until we find the nicest one, or start fresh.

But thank you, juliechick, for saying something! That could have been really bad. I can just see myself in wild consternation at my erstwhile 'hens'... Especially because I don't know how to tell until they are grown.

Oh, good! I was hoping you didn't get duped! I've seen that a lot on this site.