Roo or Pullet?

[Shdfx1]

Yes, it's the age old question of gender.

My Cream Legbar chick arrived with both the white spot indicative of male and the chipmunk stripes of a female. The breeder said it was probably a pullet (which I ordered) but that he would send a replacement if it was a rooster. I also have a straight run Swedish Flower Hen. Both chicks are extremely tame and sweet tempered, so I am hoping they are pullets. I have a sinking feeling at least the CL is a roo, and that the white spot trumps all other plumage in this auto-linked breed.

The CL is now 10 weeks old, and the SFH 9 weeks. The CL has a bit of a top knot on its head, and it's breast is getting reddish. The comb is not red at all, but it's tail feathers look concerning. Both chicks have tiny spur buds.

 

[CowGrrrl]

Looks like a roo to me.

 

[Shdfx1]

My other pic didn't come through...

 

[Shdfx1]

I'll be in big trouble if I've gotten attached to a roo chick. Our coop fortress is right outside our bedroom window in our backyard. We live on a coyote highway, so even though we have 6 acres, we put our reinforced coop in our yard, patrolled by cattle dogs, and near our window. We haven't lost a bird to wild predators yet. In fact, a coyote chased away a bobcat that had jumped in the yard and inspected the coop, before the dogs went out. I guess if the coyote wasn't allowed to eat my hens, it wasn't going to let anyone else have them, either.

In any case, a rooster would be crowing right next to our bedroom!

 

[Wyandottes7]

The comb makes it look like a pullet, but I believe that the color pattern is male. Sorry!

 

[Shdfx1]

Darn, that's what I thought. It's really sweet. I'll prepare myself for rooster and hope a miracle happens in a few months.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Kev]

I disagree, this is a pullet. You described the breast getting reddish.. that is the salmon tint found on red duckwing hens. Legbars are red duckwing with barring added so salmon/red tint to breast would be the female coloring coming through.

A male would be developing dark or black patches on the breast as they are supposed to have black and white breasts. This bird's breast seems to be growing light colored, especially in second picture.

 

[Phage]

Looks more like a hen to me

 

[Shdfx1]

So there's hope yet.

This is my first Cream Legbar. Do hens have a lot of tail feathers with this upright angle?

Also, what's your best guess on the Swedish Flower Hen on the right? It's comb is still quite small, but it does have a pinkish hue. This is my first time with that breed, too.

I have to say both chicks have excellent temperaments. Not flighty at all. I take them out of the brooder to sun and have dirt baths, and they climb all over my 3 year old son and me.

 

[Shdfx1]

Here are two more pics of the SFH. Pullet?