Pullet with big comb or roo??

[Laurel Meadows]

Hi everyone- I could sure use some expert eyes on this 6 week old. I was told the black chicks were Jersey Giants when I got them, but this one has pale grayish-pink on the bottom of the feet- so based on the info here on this site, he/she must be an Australorp then!? As you can see from the pics, he/she has a BIG comb, although at this point it is still a dusty pink color. I don't see any pointy saddle feathers- yet. Is this by chance a pullet with a big comb or is this a rooster? I have another cockerel already crowing at 6 weeks who is going back to the farmer/breeder for a pullet swap out. Just wondering if this one needs to make the trip also? I only have room for 6 birds at the moment. I am not opposed to keeping a boy, but the ratio of 1 roo to 5 hens is not enough, correct?
Thanks for your help!








This is the same chick at 4-5 weeks old. I can't believe the comb growth!

 

[Wyandottes7]

I'm leaning towards cockerel.

 

[Sunshine0235]

Thats a boy. And I've had one rooster and 4 hens for a while before chicken math happened. But the more hens the better, so they arent overbred and stressed.

 

[BantamLover21]

Cockerel.

 

[Michael OShay]

Yep, he is a Black Australorp cockerel.

 

[donrae]

Cockerel. I'm thinking the white bird in the first pic is. also.

 

[Laurel Meadows]

Cockerel. I'm thinking the white bird in the first pic is. also. 

The white one is one I wished was a pullet (very sweet) but definitely looks like a male to me also.
The white bird below is crowing already and the red and barred birds look like cockerels to me also. Do you all agree?

 

[donrae]

The barred bird is probably a cockerel, but a better pic and age would help.

The red bird may be a pullet. It looks like a red sex link, and if so it's female. It would have to come from a hatchery or breeder who specifically bred for that cross, though.

 

[Laurel Meadows]

They are all 6 weeks old and came from a backyard farm flock with barred rock, white rock, jersey giant, speckled sussex and golden comet hens from what I remember seeing. There were 2 roosters- what looked like an Easter Egger with muffs- white with lots of flashy red and black, and a Jersey Giant. These chicks were hatched in city classrooms and were given back to the farmer. He ended up with 36 chicks and he gave 6 to me with the promise that any roosters I got he would switch out for pullets. So far I'm only confident that I have one pullet! He did the old hang 'em upside down and see if they fight test (I'm not a fan of that, personally) and that's how I ended up with this mixed group.




Not the greatest pics, sorry!



This chick was solid yellow when I got it at 10 days old. In the background is the only one not sporting a pink comb lol.

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

I am agree with everyone that black, barred, and white chicks are all cockerals. Sorry! I wouldn't give up hope on the red bird yet, mix breeds can be hard to sex as they seem to develop at their own pace. It's comb is smaller than the others but that is a lot of red for a pullet......time will tell on that one!!!

BTW sexing with 'old wives' methods is about as good as closing your eyes and grabbing a pullet!!! You'll get about 50/50!