roo or hen: 4 week old hatchery RIR/production red

[kategreen]

hi!
i'm not exactly new here, having lurked for a long time, learning a whole lot from BYC on the whole and also enjoying this forum as a way to learn about sexing and breeds.

i have a RIR who has set up alarm bells from the start, quick comb development and general cockerel behavior: protection, bossy behavior. his legs are thicker than the others. i noticed with some of the other RIRs from the southern states i got him from also had early combs, so i tried not to think about it too much. however, he's sorta old enough for me to ask here (finally!).

thoughts?

 

[Jetblack2004]

Pretty sure that's a cockerel. My RIR cockerels normally have bigger combs than that at 4 weeks old but from your description of his temperament etc I'm thinking cockerel.
Cockerels often have much thicker legs at an early age, too (like you said).

-Jet

 

[kategreen]

i'll just pin my hopes on your thought that his comb is smaller than it should be for a cockerel! there's still hope.

and i'd say his bossy behavior has lessened a good bit, though i did see him jump out and protect a couple others from my hen, who's not their mother but doesn't mind hanging around them when they're out to play. mostly, he's one of my more skittish chicks.

 

[Chicken Girl1]

I think there is hope of it being a pullet, be sure to update us as it grows!

 

[kategreen]

will do! thanks for having a look.

 

[Jaks1512]

What did this little guy end up being? I have a RIR around the same age with a similar size comb.

 

[ChuskaMtns]

It sure does have quite a cocky stance. That just screams cockerel to me.