pullets or cockerel?

[mire0042]

This is one of my RIR "girls" who is about 7-8 wks old. Noticed comb is turning pink and developing what looks like wattles...could she be a he? Sorry for quality of pics. If more angles needed just let me know

 

[mire0042]

 

[mire0042]

 

[justplainbatty]

Looks like a hen, a little nervous hen. Boys don't usually lower their tails that way and her coloring is too even, boys have messy feathers when young. Which pic is the closest to her natural color? In each pic she looks a different color.

 

[mire0042]

The second picture is the most accurate to her color. First is too dark and third too light.

 

[keesmom]

That much comb at such a young age means cockerel.

 

[coolchik]

RIR hens have huge combs. Looks like a hen to me

 

[justplainbatty]

RIR hens have huge combs. Looks like a hen to me

That's what I was thinking, RIR, hen but now she/he looks like a NHR or PR? The tail down though, seems hennish to me....

 

[mire0042]

I am hoping for a pullet but if "she" turns out to be a "he" we are still keeping our Lil bird. We have treated all three of our RIR as pets and have no restrictions on our land so roos are okay. But we do have some mixed flock chicks that are 2-3wks that i am pretty sure contain a few cockerels. I am thinking at least 8 of the total i have are pullets so will have to give away or cull some if more than 1 cockerel. Thank you all for your impression of the sex of our mystery bird and I will update as she/he grows older.

 

[krista74]

That much comb at such a young age means cockerel.

I tend to agree with you.

I have hatched out quite a few RIR x BO chicks, and the pullets had tiny yellow combs until about 12 weeks, no wattles at all until even older than that.

For 7 to 8 weeks old, this young one has way too much head gear for my liking. My best guess would be cockerel.

- Krista