Question on crossing a Dominique Rooster with Rhode Island Red and Ameracauna Hens

[Lucky Lemon]

My littles are 4 weeks old now and getting so big. I'm starting to have some thoughts on gender, but pretty much still feel like it's all up in the air. I have 3 that run up to each other and "chest bump", almost like they are squaring off getting ready to fight. I'm assuming roosters on those 3. I sure hope I have some hens in this bunch!

York (Dominique/Ameraucana cross)


Side view of York


Goldie (Dominique/Rhode Island Red cross)


Herbert (Dominique/Rhode Island Red cross)


Lemon Drop (Dominique/Rhode Island Red cross)


Lucy (Dominique/Ameraucana cross)


Cindy (Dominique/Ameraucana cross)

 

[junebuggena]

Herbert and Lemon Drop look like boys. Goldie might be a boy. Everyone else is looking like pullets.

 

[Lucky Lemon]

Herbert and Lemon Drop look like boys. Goldie might be a boy. Everyone else is looking like pullets.

Thanks @junebuggena ... my suspicions are that Herbert, Lemon Drop and Goldie are roosters, I also suspect York (simply based on behavior, if not, it will likely try to be the top hen). Lemon Drop, Goldie and York are the three that do the "chest bump" thing... surely that is a rooster behavior?

 

[junebuggena]

Girls will also chest bump and try to jump on each other. That is typical pecking order behavior, and both boys and girls do it.

 

[Lucky Lemon]

Thanks, I did not realize that. So maybe I only have two Roos (lemon drop and Herbert).

 

[Lucky Lemon]

6 Weeks old.... Any new guesses on gender?

First 3 are the Dominique/Rhode Island Red crosses, Last 3 are the Dominique/Ameraucana crosses:

Herbert (guessing Rooster)




Lemon Drop (Guessing Rooster)



Goldie (hoping pullet)


Dominique/Ameraucana crosses: Combs are all flat with no bumps, I have no clue on sex.

Cindy


Lucy


York

 

[junebuggena]

The only one that I see that might be a pullet is Cindy. Everyone else has an awful lot of comb for 6 week old chicks.

 

[Lucky Lemon]

Well, that's not good.... I'm holding out hope for Cindy and Goldie to be hens... going to have to re-home a bunch of chicks otherwise!

 

[junebuggena]

Any chick with a big, red comb before 10 weeks old is a cockerel. Pullets don't really start to develop in the comb until about 14 to 18 weeks old. I'm sorry but most of your chicks are too big and too red in the combs too early to be pullets.

 

[Lucky Lemon]

Any chick with a big, red comb before 10 weeks old is a cockerel. Pullets don't really start to develop in the comb until about 14 to 18 weeks old. I'm sorry but most of your chicks are too big and too red in the combs too early to be pullets.

Thank you for your info! I am not very good at telling the difference so early on. I have had the worst luck with roosters! My first batch of "pullets" that I purchased, 6 out of 9 were actually roosters! Now, out of my hatch, it looks like I may have only one pullet (if not all roosters!).