Pullet or cockerel?

[K10road]

Hi! I’m new here, so please bear with me if I don't do this all the right way or use the exact/proper terminology.

I have 3 chicks that hatched 3 weeks ago. Because I only had one Roo (buff Cochin bantam) and only have one of each hen breed, I can tell you for sure what each chick is. The three that hatched were from a Cuckoo Maran hen, an Ameraucana hen, and a white leghorn hen. If my understanding is correct, the only one that genetics can definitely tell me the gender of would be the Cuckoo Maran’s chick because a barred hen bred to a solid rooster can only pass barring on to male offspring. And if her offspring were male and were going to have barring, it would’ve had a white spot on its head when it hatched. Is that correct?

I am attaching some pictures - one will be of my Roo, one will be of my Cuckoo Maran hen, and then some of the babies. When the Marans chick hatched, it definitely was solid black as seen in the photos. No white spot on its head. Now that they are getting older, the black one is developing some beautiful coloring, but I’m wondering if it’s a cockerel? I almost see what looks like barring? But maybe it’s just the gold from my Roo? Personality makes me think cockerel, but her mom was the same way, and I was SURE her mom was a cockerel. I was wrong. Just a very dominant pullet.

I did sheepishly attempt vent sexing them, but I was scared of hurting them, so I'm not confident about that. But by vents, I think all 3 are pullets. And by personality, I think 2 are pullets and my Maran mix is a cockerel. Buttttt…genetics. Help!

 

[JaeG]

To me it doesn't look like the chick in question is developing any barring so it should be a pullet. That's all just gold leakage which is common in black or blue crossed with buff and will make for a very pretty bird.

 

[K10road]

Nothing is screaming cockerel at the moment.
Also, don't ever vent sex chicks unless you have been trained on how to do it properly. If you don't do it right, you can injure or even kill the chick.

I was taught by someone who is very experienced, but as I said, I did so very sheepishly because I know it’s easy to hurt/kill them. Even if I were the best chicken sexer around, I’d be sheepish just because of how fragile they are that first day. Don’t worry. I’m an overly protective and cautious chicken tender. My husband, kids, and friends all think I’m crazy because I treat my chickens like they are my babies. Ha! They are my babies!

 

[K10road]

To me it doesn't look like the chick in question is developing any barring so it should be a pullet. That's all just gold leakage which is common in black or blue crossed with buff and will make for a very pretty bird.

I was just saying to my husband that I think she’s going to be GORGEOUS. The pictures don’t even do her coloring justice. She is very confident too, and quite inquisitive. My white leghorn/Cochin bantam mix baby is spastic just like her mama hen.

 

[K10road]

Breeding him with the Cuckoo Marans should give you Black Sex Links The male offspring will be barred (with a visible head spot on chick down) and females solid colored!

Yep! That’s the only one I know of and got a beautiful pullet (pics above). I was wondering if there were any others…

 

[HappyClucker7]

Nothing is screaming cockerel at the moment.
Also, don't ever vent sex chicks unless you have been trained on how to do it properly. If you don't do it right, you can injure or even kill the chick.

 

[cherrynberry]

Nothing is screaming cockerel at the moment.
Also, don't ever vent sex chicks unless you have been trained on how to do it properly. If you don't do it right, you can injure or even kill the chick.

Totally agree.

 

[cherrynberry]

Hi! I’m new here, so please bear with me if I don't do this all the right way or use the exact/proper terminology.

I have 3 chicks that hatched 3 weeks ago. Because I only had one Roo (buff Cochin bantam) and only have one of each hen breed, I can tell you for sure what each chick is. The three that hatched were from a Cuckoo Maran hen, an Ameraucana hen, and a white leghorn hen. If my understanding is correct, the only one that genetics can definitely tell me the gender of would be the Cuckoo Maran’s chick because a barred hen bred to a solid rooster can only pass barring on to male offspring. And if her offspring were male and were going to have barring, it would’ve had a white spot on its head when it hatched. Is that correct?

I am attaching some pictures - one will be of my Roo, one will be of my Cuckoo Maran hen, and then some of the babies. When the Marans chick hatched, it definitely was solid black as seen in the photos. No white spot on its head. Now that they are getting older, the black one is developing some beautiful coloring, but I’m wondering if it’s a cockerel? I almost see what looks like barring? But maybe it’s just the gold from my Roo? Personality makes me think cockerel, but her mom was the same way, and I was SURE her mom was a cockerel. I was wrong. Just a very dominant pullet.

I did sheepishly attempt vent sexing them, but I was scared of hurting them, so I'm not confident about that. But by vents, I think all 3 are pullets. And by personality, I think 2 are pullets and my Maran mix is a cockerel. Buttttt…genetics. Help!

So, if your cuckoo maran mix gets a barred pattern it’s a male. So watch out for that.

 

[K10road]

So, if your cuckoo maran mix gets a barred pattern it’s a male. So watch out for that.

Correct - that’s the fun part of sex-linked traits! Easy to figure it out! But even before the barred pattern, you should see a white spot on their head. Kinda cool!

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

Yep! That’s the only one I know of and got a beautiful pullet (pics above). I was wondering if there were any others…

Oh sorry I misunderstood! I don't believe there are