red combs at 3.5 weeks?!?

[CHIC]

I got the rainbow pullet special from MPC. 25 chicks. I posted their pics a couple of days ago and it seems that overnight, some of their combs are turning red! Does this mean that I have some roosters? I will be really irritated if I end up with a bunch of roosters. According to their guarentee, I could have up to 2.5, so I guess they would round that up to 3. One of the ones that is getting a red comb I already expected was a boy because its feathers seemed to be developing much slower than the others. Please does anyone know about this?

 

[Goose and Fig]

Could be some little roos! I have 2 wellie roos that became obvious at 2 weeks, and banty cochins at 3 weeks. The slow feathering - especially on the back- is sometimes a good indicator, but not sure how reliable it is. Might depend on the breed.

 

[CHIC]

I am especially worried because I now have a good idea on the breeds or at least know which ones are the same breeds-and between some that are of the same breeds, some of the combs are changing color and some aren't. So, in my mind, that means they are probably roos. Am I right? Shouldn't they develop comb color at about the same time, just like feathers?

 

[Goose and Fig]

Even if they are the same breed- they won't neccessarily develop at the same rate. It sounds like you do have a couple boys. Are you allowed to have roosters? 2 or 3 for 20-some hens isn't a terrible ratio. 2 would be better though.

 

[CHIC]

I need to get some pics... I don't wanna have more than one roo because I want him to be happy being the only roo- and I don't want another roo picked on. Is that silly?

 

[chickenguysmom]

I was able to tell the baby roos at 2-3 weeks old by the redness of the combs and the feathering. It is easier if you have multiples of the same breed to compare to.

I will add that I did have one pullet that developed a pinkish comb and was semi-red very early. I posted and asked and most thought she was a he and it was a she. It was an EE and very hard to tell... However, by the time the tail feathers came in she definately had pullet tail feathers. EEs can have very flat combs and hers never really did develop. With some of the other breeds you could def. see the difference in the size of the combs and the redness.

If you could post pictures it would make it easier.

 

[LittleMamaBigPapa]

We hand-selected 3 chicks, and one's feathers developed WAY slower, and it didn't preen the feathers EVER. Wala! It was a Roo.

I only have one Roo and 4 girls so I have no idea how 2 would be together. Good luck!

 

[hangin'witthepeeps]

I got 1 roo in my 25 MPC Rainbow Pullet Special. My others that look like Welsumm/Brown Leghorn some have a little pink. I don't know I would say pink but may be a "blush". I believe this is normal. Look at my post here and you can see. My 2 Barred hens one has pink comb and one is still yellow, but according to color they are hens. So I believe even with each breed, some will mature more faster. If that makes sense. Even the first pick the comb is a little pink on that hen while others have yellow still.

Here's the post, Roo pic is really blurry, but you can tell its a roo and the others are not. Scroll down.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=255637

 

[CHIC]

Ok, here they are, some are the same chick, but there are four that are in question.

 

[CHIC]

Oh, and might I add that none of the others even have a hint of pink and these look pretty bright to me.