Roo or hen? Welcome advice please!

[Kiwi Mum]

Hello from Auckland, New Zealand.

I'm a newbie to the complex and fascinating chicken world, with nine chookies now taking up residence at our place. Four are 23 week old pullets that have started laying this week. The other five were hatched in an incubator lovingly watched over by my pre-school daughters and their friends at their childcare centre. They are eight weeks old. Their genders are unknown and this is where I hope you may be able to help us.

They are mixed breeds - hopefully these are common names used worldwide and not specific to New Zealand.

Rooster (Father)
- Plymouth Rock
- Red Rhode Island

Hens (Mother)
- Brown Shaver
- Orpington
- Plymouth Rock

1. She/he has no stand up comb - flat and kind of bubbly.


2.


3. He/she has hairy legs.


4.


5. He/she also has hairy legs.


Number 3 was named Rosie by my daughters at hatch, though I am now sure she/he is a Robert!

All feedback gratefully received! Thank you.

Yours chookfully,
Kiwi Mum

 

[Cyan Night]

I believe 1 and 4 are your only pullets

 

[Kiwi Mum]

Thanks Cyan Night, I suspected this though was hopeful my number 2 white chook may have been a hen as her tail feathers are straight. I appreciate your input.

 

[mlrod1914]

2 and 3 are roos. From what I can tell. But it's always hard to tell with mixed breeds. Also here we call a Rhode Island Red and a Barred Plymouth Rock mix a "sex link". You might know this already. Sorry if I am stating the obvious.
Also...

Greeting from Massachusetts!!! Home of the Barred Plymouth Rock and right next door to Rhode Island, home of the Rhode Island Red!!
Nice to see our native chicks have reached clear across the globe to you in (in my opinion) the most beautiful country in the world. New Zealand... sigh...

 

[BantamLover21]

I believe 1 and 4 are your only pullets

I agree.

 

[Wyandottes7]

#2, #3, and #5 are cockerels.