Pullet or Cockerel

Fluffy&Cutie

Songster
May 17, 2018
379
881
226
Los Angeles Basin
Hello happy humans! New chick momma here. My white leghorns are around 5 weeks old. Fluffy has beautiful feathers, she is breathe taking. Then there's Cutie, she looks like he s having a rough time in puberty. Poor Cutie. Her down/feathers on her neck are a hot mess. Is there a difference on how chicks progress through feathering depending on gender? Is Cutie a pullet or cockerel?
Here are three pics to show you. You can see pretty Fluffy in the background of 1 pic, with poor awkward Cutie in the front. Thanks for your experience. (Please say pullet)
Is there anything I can do to help Cutie's feather come in, like more protein? She's not sick is she?
 

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The one in the foreground is likely male.

Even Leghorn females get large combs, but at this young of age, that much growth typically will be male.

I expect you will see pinking and reddening in that comb within the next couple of weeks. If so, it will be male.

Feather growth can be a sign of gender difference as cockerals can mature more slowly, however, it has to be within the same carefully controlled line not hatchery chicks which come from different lines, different batches, and even different hatch dates.

Enjoy your new chicks. Post again in a few more weeks especially a head shot of that comb.

LofMc
 

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