Pullet vs. cockerel x4

[abserbean]

I wouldn't base too much on behavior, young hens will raise their hackle feathers and challenge/chest bump each other too. Good luck, I hope you have at least two hens!

 

[mebberry4]

I wouldn't base too much on behavior, young hens will raise their hackle feathers and challenge/chest bump each other too. Good luck, I hope you have at least two hens!

Thanks Abserbean, I hope so, too!
The red one has feathered out fastest of all four chicks, so maybe I will hold out hope that it is a pullet.
The top hen in our flock is our only NHR, so maybe they are just both bossy reds!

 

[mebberry4]

Hello, I have some barnyard chicks that I hatched under a broody that are just about 4 weeks old. Here is Little Red: Freckles: Little Lavender: Bay (sorry for the not so great picture) I am hoping beyond hope to have 2-3 little hens out of this hatch. Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

I recently noticed that 'Freckles' has green legs! From what I was able to find online that means it is likely an EE and that the coloring might give us a clue to the gender more so than the comb? Any guesses?

 

[SweetSilver]

The coloring you mention includes that rust you see on his wings and back. And yes, comb size can be a murky indicator at first. The color is better in some ways, but that assumes it shows up early. And in many color varieties, the coloration is not distinctive from the female. So "more so than the comb" I would say "Sometimes, that's true".

 

[chooks4life]

I'm not an expert on purebreds but as far as I know EE's are unreliable, being not a standardized breed if you know what I mean. If you've read somewhere that male EE's have a certain trait, well, keep that info in mind and we'll see if it's right soon enough.

Best wishes.

 

[mebberry4]

Well, here are my three 9 week old cockerels and the lonely little pullet.

What a terrible rooster/hen hatch ratio... 50/50 my aunt fanny.....



So, now I have a beautiful Blue Cochin Cockerel (I checked with the breeder I got the eggs from) for sale or trade:



A New Hampshire Cockerel I might try to keep until next spring even thought it is against town ordinance....has anyone tried the no crow collars? I would really like to have my own fertile eggs to hatch out under my broody hen next May.



An Olive Egger Cockerel that will be going to freezer camp unless my coworker who has EEs will take him:



And my little lonely (I think) Black Star pullet, Bay:



Well, that's what I've got. Thanks for all of the input everyone!

 

[keesmom]

Bay also looks to be a cockerel.

 

[mebberry4]

Bay also looks to be a cockerel.

I really hope you are joking.....she has almost no comb....I realize the wattles appear dark red, but I had to adjust the exposure of the pic due to the fact that pictures of her always come out way underexposed.

please say it isn't so

 

[mebberry4]

Does anyone else have thoughts?

 

[keesmom]

I really hope you are joking.....she has almost no comb....I realize the wattles appear dark red, but I had to adjust the exposure of the pic due to the fact that pictures of her always come out way underexposed.

please say it isn't so

I was going more by the red coming out in the shoulders. Red in the shoulder/wingbow is a male pattern.

I once had broodies hatch 7 cockerels out of 7 eggs so I can sympathize!