Roo or pullet?

[Mikokoke]

I have four American marans and they are 3 months old. I believe one of them may be a roo, but it's difficult to tell. One seems larger and the tail a bit more grande. Other than that, there has been no attempt to cookle-doodle and all the combs so to be developing the same. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks.

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[Mikokoke]

Yet another picture.

 

[Peep-Chicken]

Try to get pictures of their combs and where their saddle feathers would be. (Base of tail)

 

[donrae]

No one's screaming rooster at this point, and Marans' aren't usually shy. I'd feel safe saying you have all pullets.

 

[Mikokoke]

This is the one I thought may be the rooster.

 

[Mikokoke]

 

[Mikokoke]

 

[Mikokoke]

 

[Mikokoke]

Try to get pictures of their combs and where their saddle feathers would be. (Base of tail)

 

[One Chick Two]

Here's a photo I took of our P RIR's feathers- even thopugh they are not the same breed, the shape of the feathers will tell you what you need to know to be able to look at nearly any chicken and tell what it is just by feather shape.

L-R: Rooster tail feather, hen tail feather, hen saddle feather, rooster saddle feather. (The rooster saddle feathers also looks like rooster neck hackle feathers.)



See how all the rooster feathers are longer, thinner and pointier? Rooster feathers also have a tendency to bend a bit and flop over.

We also have a few Marans (from a different line than our own Marans) and all of those have extremely long tail feathers, and stick up straight and high- even the males. (The males have green tail feathers though, and a few feathers flop over.) Marans both males and females ideally should have low set, shortish tails.