Pullet or cockerel ?

[Jessandthechiks]

5-6 weeks old and I’m starting to get rooster vibes from two of my “rainbow variety” chicks. What are your thoughts? Pullet or cockerel for the brown and gray ones? Still too soon to call? I believe they are both Easter eggers.

 

[Mattl12]

Pretty sure the brown one is A cockerel. Not even going to guess at the two grays.

 

[Jessandthechiks]

Pretty sure the brown one is A cockerel. Not even going to guess at the two grays.

Thanks for the confirmation! The two pics of the gray one is the same bird but at different angles. I know the gray one is an EE for sure if that info helps.

 

[Mattl12]

Thanks for the confirmation! The two pics of the gray one is the same bird but at different angles. I know the gray one is an EE for sure if that info helps.

What ever type they are is unfamiliar to me. The brown one looks like some strain of RIR, that I'm familiar with.

 

[Kenzie22]

When is the first time that you can hear a rooster crow? When do they start crowing? Also, do the tail feathers mean anything? Only some of my chicks have what look like tails and they are almost 2 weeks old. Does that mean rooster?

 

[Iluveggers]

Agree, the brown one def looks like cockerel. The grey one’s comb looks dark but I’ve seen the 3 rows on some that ended up being pullets even though it often signals cockerel.

 

[Iluveggers]

Actually can you get pics of them above from the back? I want to see the grey ones feather pattern better.

 

[Mattl12]

When is the first time that you can hear a rooster crow? When do they start crowing? Also, do the tail feathers mean anything? Only some of my chicks have what look like tails and they are almost 2 weeks old. Does that mean rooster?

Varies. Near 5 months for my previous Austrolorp mutts, slightly under 4 months for my RIR or Bresse. "Pecking Order" can keep A rooster from crowing too. Thus far IME one day seemingly at random A roos "Balls will Drop" and his behavior will change.

 

[Kenzie22]

Okay, so if I have 16 chicks in a trough with food and water and a heat lamp, the chickens that they were out of is as follows: the rooster was a dominique, and 2 hens were dominique, while the other 2 hens were buff orpingtons, how else can you tell?

 

[Mattl12]

Okay, so if I have 16 chicks in a trough with food and water and a heat lamp, the chickens that they were out of is as follows: the rooster was a dominique, and 2 hens were dominique, while the other 2 hens were buff orpingtons, how else can you tell?

Vent sexing is about 90% accurate. Unfortunately vent sexing seems to only be learned by trial and error............... Hence 90% accurate. IME thus far every roo I have wound up with showed more taller comb and sooner than the hens. That 10% is how I wound up with my RIR roo who was in the "pullets brooder"