Pullets or Cockerels?! Cochin and Marans

[AinaWGSD]

Agreed, these all look like pullets so far. The older BCM I was on the fence with in the first photo (at 8 weeks) but with that little comb/wattle development in 2 weeks I think you're in the clear. They may just be fast maturing birds, plus single combed breeds often pink up early.

Ps, I absolutely adore your splash marans' little light colored eyebrows! So cute!

 

[PebbleandPeony]

Agreed, these all look like pullets so far. The older BCM I was on the fence with in the first photo (at 8 weeks) but with that little comb/wattle development in 2 weeks I think you're in the clear. They may just be fast maturing birds, plus single combed breeds often pink up early.

Ps, I absolutely adore your splash marans' little light colored eyebrows! So cute!

That is awesome! Thanks so much for your input. I am so excited to watch them grow.
The splash marans is one of my favorites too. She is beautiful, and sweet. She coos to me whenever she sees me.

 

[Aoife123]

Hi everyone
I got two Maran cross chicks about 2 weeks ago. I'm not sure how old the are id say maybe 8 weeks. They appear fully feathered but are small compared to a fully grown hen.

Im Just wondering if they are hens of roosters l. I thought I got two hens as they had pale combs compared to the other chicks but now I'm not so sure.

The first two pics are of the white splash and the 3rd and 4th pic are of the blue maran and the 5th pic is both.

Any help with their age, sex and breed would be greatly appreciated

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

I think they are both hens. Very pretty, and they actually really remind me of my two girls that I’ve had the longest. Mine are silverudds but I think my splash is a cross, and the farm I got them from has a lot of marans. I’m attaching pics of what they looked like at 8 weeks and what they look like now. Both are laying.

I think 8 weeks is a close guess, maybe 9 weeks? Your white one has a crest, like mine. I’ve guessed that mine is crossed with a cream legbar, because they have crests and I know this farm has them as well. Do you know what other breeds the farm you got yours from has?

 

[Aoife123]

I think they are both hens. Very pretty, and they actually really remind me of my two girls that I’ve had the longest. Mine are silverudds but I think my splash is a cross, and the farm I got them from has a lot of marans. I’m attaching pics of what they looked like at 8 weeks and what they look like now. Both are laying.

Thanks for the reply. I bought some at a poultry market as I have 3 roosters and not enough hens so wanted to try fix my hen rooster ratio. I haven't been able to come to term with selling or rehoming any of my birds I just don't have faith in people to look after them. People just don't see chickens as pets. I was starting to panic when I seen the white chicks head turning pink and because I'm not sure of their age I don't know if it's too early. Some of the other chicks that were with them had redder head and I pick the two with pale heads. I also got two naked neck x maran hens from the same man. They were older so I'm not too worried about them. I attached two very unflattering pics of them below not everyone is a fan of a naked neck but I think they are mad looking. Everything I read or watched on sexing chicks says to look at the comb and wattles but the comb isn't red and has no wattles yet. Someone suggested that it might be a maran arucana cross and that they don't really have wattles so not sure. And also to look at the tail but the little white one has no tail to go off of. They do look very like your hens though so hopefully they do turn out to be hens. Do you think they are about 8 weeks?

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

I would say they are a bit older than 8 weeks, maybe 9/10 weeks?

The red face can be a stress response too. I really think they look like hens.

 

[Aoife123]

I

I would say they are a bit older than 8 weeks, maybe 9/10 weeks?

The red face can be a stress response too. I really think they look like hens.

I tried having a closer look at their feather this evening but I have no idea what I'm looking at I don't know what other breeds he had he was an old man in his 80s he didn't even know what age they were. He said he has the incubator running constantly. He did say he had a french maran rooster and judging by the feathered legs of legs of the 4 chickens I bought and the colouring I would say that they all have some maran in them. The older two are naked neck x maran. They have the feathered legs too. I guess I'm just going to have to wait and see. I think now you might be right about the age maybe 9 or 10 weeks as if they were younger the feathers are a bit scruffier looking. I must have looked at every chick between the ages of 6 and 12 weeks to see what they looked closest to. I wonder if the naked necks are 3 weeks older or 6 weeks older than them if he is constantly incubating there would be about 3 weeks between each batch. I guess I'm just going to have to wait and see. I will let you know what they turn out to be after. It's been so frustrating reading posts of people asking for people's guesses but never giving an update if the Guesses were right

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

I

I tried having a closer look at their feather this evening but I have no idea what I'm looking at I don't know what other breeds he had he was an old man in his 80s he didn't even know what age they were. He said he has the incubator running constantly. He did say he had a french maran rooster and judging by the feathered legs of legs of the 4 chickens I bought and the colouring I would say that they all have some maran in them. The older two are naked neck x maran. They have the feathered legs too. I guess I'm just going to have to wait and see. I think now you might be right about the age maybe 9 or 10 weeks as if they were younger the feathers are a bit scruffier looking. I must have looked at every chick between the ages of 6 and 12 weeks to see what they looked closest to. I wonder if the naked necks are 3 weeks older or 6 weeks older than them if he is constantly incubating there would be about 3 weeks between each batch. I guess I'm just going to have to wait and see. I will let you know what they turn out to be after. It's been so frustrating reading posts of people asking for people's guesses but never giving an update if the Guesses were right

Yes please let me know!!

 

[Aoife123]

**Update ** 4 hens
Thry took forever to start laying ! The grey and the splash hen lay a darkish brown egg. My black naked neck hasn't started laying to my knowledge. She seems to have something bothering and the only thing I can see that look odd is she keeps shaking her head. I checked for lice or mite but don't see anything. She is still very spooked and doesn't like to be handled. She freaks out when you put her in a cage so I can't really monitor her or check her very well the only way I can get near her is when she is on the roost at night. The grey naked neck lays a lovely green/brown olive egg I have no idea what breeds they have in them. But I don't have a hen laying that egg colour so it a lovely suprise

 

[wrathsfarm]

**Update ** 4 hens
Thry took forever to start laying ! The grey and the splash hen lay a darkish brown egg. My black naked neck hasn't started laying to my knowledge. She seems to have something bothering and the only thing I can see that look odd is she keeps shaking her head. I checked for lice or mite but don't see anything. She is still very spooked and doesn't like to be handled. She freaks out when you put her in a cage so I can't really monitor her or check her very well the only way I can get near her is when she is on the roost at night. The grey naked neck lays a lovely green/brown olive egg I have no idea what breeds they have in them. But I don't have a hen laying that egg colour so it a lovely suprise

Wow those are gorgeous. Especially that Olive... love the speckled ones