So....RIRs are pretty hard to sex...My great auntie used to say "It will either lay and egg or crow, then you will know, girly". I have RIRs and know many others who have RIRs and they ARE hard to sex! Unfortunately, you can't really go by shiney feathers, or the black feathers, or the size of their combs when they are young - because RIR hens have shiney feathers, and some black feathers, and RIRs mostly all have bigger combs and wattles than many other breeds.
There are many "areas' to look for in sexing an RIR - seeing if they are developing spurs, the longer, pointy saddle feathers, long tail feathers, up-curving tail feathers, down-curving tail feathers, pointy hackle feathers, head shape, etc. none of it really means much until they crow or lay!
I have a friend who took a RIR cockerel to the fair to show, and found out the hard way that "he" was a "she" - when her first egg was laid right before judging!
I'm going through something similar - I have a 2.5 m.o. and a 3 m.o. new RIR, and I'd swear that Sugar (the younger) has to be a rooster since Sugar has a larger, brighter comb and wattle, and darker feathers - but Rosa (the older) has more shiney feathers. They "chest bump" and both puff up - and then I'm certain they are *both* roosters! I've stressed and lost sleep over it, but decided that, regardless, they will be the sex they will be! I asked around to find a home, if needed, already, just in case....(I don't mind having a rooster, but my neighbors might care - though city ordinances don't regulate that part)
...but until they lay or crow, I'm just going to wait and see!
(not much help I know, but if you are like me, it will fret you like crazy....just wanted to let you know you aren't the only one!)
