RIR...boy or girl?

[chickenplucker]

These was taken about 2 weeks ago and the chicken was about 6 weeks old. Same bird in both pics.

LMK if you need to see more if this bird and I'll get some more current pics.

 

[Katy]

He's a roo.

 

[ebonykawai]

Boy

 

[firem3]

It's a boy!

 

[chickenplucker]

Thank you! How can you tell?

 

[65browneyes]

Cockeral doodle doo.......

His comb and wattles are larger and redder than they would be on a pullet of the same age. I have 2 RIR's who are 4 weeks old and one looks just like your little guy. The other's comb is still pale and no visible wattles.

 

[SeaChick]

At only 6 weeks old, with a comb and wattles like that, I would say cockerel!

here are pics of our RIR pullet at about 6 weeks old:

and at 9 weeks, see how small/pale her comb still is?

Here she is at about 18 weeks (in the background standing up tall). Her comb and wattles have just started to redden:

I could be totally wrong, but that's my guess.

 

[chickenplucker]

Thank you for the pics! I have a couple that have pretty red wattles and comb, both RIR. The rest of them have very small combs yet and while a couple are starting to turn light red, they're still real small. Since I only have 12 birds and don't NEED roosters, should I just let him grow up to full size, then have him for dinner, or get rid of him while he's still real young? Oh yeah, we think he may have broken his leg because it's not straight and he sometimes limps on it, but still gets around okay, eats, drinks, scratches, and does everything a chicken is supposed to do without any obvious difficulty. WWYD?

 

[Cracker]

When you compare the growth rate of the tail feathers you will notice that the cockeral will be much slower to grow his than the pullet will. The legs will also begin to appear stockier.

 

[65browneyes]

I just took this pic this afternoon. This is 6 week old Rhett in the foreground, and his sister, Gabby towards the rear on the left. Not a great shot of either of them, but I think we can make out the difference in their combs. He told me yesterday that he would start crowing soon, he's just making sure all his crower parts are in order first. LOL