Pullet or Cockerel?

[krista74]

Hi everyone! I have four chicks who are all from the same hatch and are 9 weeks and 1 day old as of today's photos. Clearly they are developing at different rates though!

They are all a cross between a BO Rooster and a RIR Hen.

A couple of them I am fairly certain about, one I think I know and one changes sides daily!

My apologies in advance for the crappy pictures - I swear, I did the best I could, but they are lightening fast!


Chick 1 - Cockerel (FOR SURE!)


Chick 2 - Cockerel (Pretty certain)


Chick 3 - Pullet (Again, pretty confident)


Chick 4 - Today I think Pullet (But this one changes frequently!)



I also got a couple of random group shots to assist (again, sorry - it was all I could do to get one or two!)

The 2 Cockerels (I presume)


The Two Pullets - I hope!





I would welcome as many comments as possible, particularly addressing the following:-

1. Confirmation (to the best you can from the pictures provided) of sex

2. The lack of feathers around their faces - could this be a mite problem? They are housed in the same pen as the main flock who show no signs of irritation or infestation, but the chicks have all scratched their faces from about Day 2 after hatching. They sleep on a soft grass-hay, the coop floor is dirt, and they are fed proper grower pellets, having just switched from medicated chick feed.

3. Both the suspected Pullets have small wattles appearing. This concerns me. But then again they are 9 weeks old and in comparison to the two suspect cockerels they barely have any. Thoughts?


Also, I know some of them look a bit frizzy but it's just the way I was holding them. They are not used to being picked up, I had to chase them and a couple raised their hackles for the pictures! Everyone is lively and healthy, although my pictures might not reflect that entirely!

Thank you so much in advance!

- Krista

 

[Sunshine0235]

I agree with your guesses 100%

 

[Percheron chick]

I think you guesses are spot on. The spotty feathers on the 2 pullets is just normal adult feathers growing in.

 

[Wyandottes7]

I agree with your guesses.

 

[BantamLover21]

I agree with your guesses, too.

 

[windwalkingwolf]

I agree 100 % with your guesses. If they are not dustbathing, they will get mites. If they are in with adult chickens, they probably aren't dustbathing--older hens will often toss young ones out of the spot.
Respiratory irritation can cause itchyness and feather loss around the face as well, and is often the first sign of a problem, or the last one to be resolved. Are they sleeping on the floor? This will make them more susceptible to parasites AND respiratory problems.

 

[Michael OShay]

I agree with your guesses 100%

X2 on that.

 

[ThePRfan]

I 100% agree with you.Now you can have lil babes,

 

[55JAMES55]

I agree with your guesses 100% also and I do not suspect mites based off of the photos dust bathes are good but diatomaceous earth can be sprinkled on them if the symptoms of mites become more visible

 

[krista74]

Oh, how exciting!

At first we were 100% convinced we only had 1 pullet and 3 cockerels, as one of the girls has a very upright stance. But as you can see, the comb and wattle development hasn't followed through. I would have thought that at 9 weeks they would have been developing more fully by now? I'm so glad I didn't advertise her for sale!

I agree 100 % with your guesses. If they are not dustbathing, they will get mites. If they are in with adult chickens, they probably aren't dustbathing--older hens will often toss young ones out of the spot.
Respiratory irritation can cause itchyness and feather loss around the face as well, and is often the first sign of a problem, or the last one to be resolved. Are they sleeping on the floor? This will make them more susceptible to parasites AND respiratory problems.

The chicks have a cornered off section of the main coop to live in. They also have a wooden box filled with soft grass-hay (ryegrass hay) and were taught how to dust bathe by their Momma before she abandoned them at 5 weeks and re-joined the flock. The coop floor, which is dirt, is very soft and quite often they will bury themselves in it and have a vigorous bath. It really is sweet to watch.

During the day the chicks can climb on top of their nest box to two proper laying nests. They sit in there occasionally (practising roosting on the lip of the nest box), and fly down to the floor for fun. They occasionally sit on the floor but are normally pecking around for feed etc. They always go to their box to sleep at night though.

The older ones all dust bathe outside and do not have access to the chicks. They can see them, but not touch.

My hope is to rehome the 2 cockerels ASAP and keep the 2 pullets. I have another pullet from a second hatch who is 2 weeks older and she is in this same chick pen too. When the 3 pullets reach about the same size I intend to integrate them together with the main flock.

I think you guesses are spot on. The spotty feathers on the 2 pullets is just normal adult feathers growing in.

Oh! I see. I have never raised chicks before so I just presumed it was some sort of infestation, lol. I am so pleased! I did say to hubby "Maybe they are just trying to scratch out their downy fluff to make room for feathers.." There you go!

Thanks everyone for your advice. You have made my day!

- Krista