RIR Cockeral or Pullet?

[SunChick]

Ok, I am not the chicken expert but the man I bought my pullets from knows chickens--heck the feed store recommended him. I told him I wanted pullets and he picked them out for me. One of my neighbors looked at my girls today (whom are 23 weeks old) and expressed her opinion that she thought the reason they were not laying yet was that I had mostly roos because their combs and waddles were larger then she has seen in a hen. My girls are not laying yet but I have seen them (especially the one she was really thinking is a roo) sit in the nest box. I have a roo who is not a RIR that I put him with them a few days ago. All of them crowded him and preened his feathers and well lets say he was very interested and took full advantage. I haven't seen them act submissive yet or crouch but I don't think a cockeral would tolerate this behavior. I've also never seen them crow. How big do the pullets waddles and combs get? gosh I would hate to call the man back about this if it is nothing. I would think that at 5 months of age you could definitly tell the difference between a pullet and a cockeral. Does anyone have any pics of birds of this age and type that I could refer to?

Thanks
Heather

 

[speckledhen]

Sure, the RIR pullets in this picture are just under 5 months old.

 

[Foghorn]

Are those silver laced wyandottes?

 

[speckledhen]

Yep, I have SLW's, RIR's, and Buff Orpingtons in that picture. I also have a couple of Barred Rock girls a couple of months younger, plus 22 chicks of several breeds in a nursery coop. These are all over a year old now. Here they are last fall-cracks me up when they divide themselves up by breed or color, LOL:

 

[SunChick]

ok here is my pics

the one in the middle is in question...roo is on right.

another pullet I think!

personally I I think these are pullets but want your opinion. Since they are definitly turning red shouldn't I see those eggs soon?

 

[SpottedCrow]

I'm pretty sure the other two are ladies...Your roo is beautiful.

 

[speckledhen]

Look like RIR pullets to me! And I second S. C. on that, nice roo!

 

[SunChick]

Thanks! Yeah he is a nice boy too, nice tempered. He also has feathered shanks, I'll have to get a good pic in the morning of him so ya'll can help me out figure his breed or crossing. He is definitly a fav with my neighbors horse boarders..he defected for my gals. They have too many roos anyways! Of course DH was not pleased...silly man thinks he will be eating embryos and half formed chicks, which I had to explain to him why he would not...sigh

 

[hinkjc]

Those are pullets...your roo is very handsome.

Jody

 

[ginasmarans]

They look like pullets to me,too. With my RIR, I could normally tell the pullets from the roo by 4-5 months old. Every so often I'd have a late bloomer who would fool me. 23 weeks is about the time you should see them getting interested in laying, but I think if they turn 6 months old in the Winter sometimes slows them down. Looking at their comb and wattles, I get ready for some soon. One good thing about them waiting is that the eggs will probably be bigger than if they started younger. My late layers always lay bigger first eggs.