Rooster or Hen?

[Reluctantchicken]

My husband is suspicious one of our rhode island reds (9/10 weeks old) is a rooster. Thoughts?
It is the one in the back of the photo with multiple chickens.

 

[Gray Farms]

It's a cockerel

 

[Reluctantchicken]

It's a cockerel

What are the tells? I've been looking up ways to tell and have been unable to find anything definitive.

 

[JedJackson]

What are the tells? I've been looking up ways to tell and have been unable to find anything definitive.

The most obvious difference is in the comb and wattles. Compare his to hers. His comb is much bigger, his wattles are very much bigger, and they are pink/red. At 10 weeks, a pullet generally would have small and pale comb and wattles.

 

[Reluctantchicken]

The most obvious difference is in the comb and wattles. Compare his to hers. His comb is much bigger, his wattles are very much bigger, and they are pink/red. At 10 weeks, a pullet generally would have small and pale comb and wattles.

Thank you! That was my husband's suspicion, now I'll have to tell him he was right!

 

[CalBickieMomma]

Definitely looks like a boy, but I’ve had some of my girls develop early. Another clue could be leg/feet size. If ‘his’ legs look bigger or thicker than hers, then probably a boy (but I’ve been told this isn’t entirely accurate either).

And sometimes you can just tell by their demeanor/attitude. I knew my Gerard was a boy at two weeks old simply by how he moved .

 

[Painted Calls]

Cockerel.

 

[Reluctantchicken]

Definitely looks like a boy, but I’ve had some of my girls develop early. Another clue could be leg/feet size. If ‘his’ legs look bigger or thicker than hers, then probably a boy (but I’ve been told this isn’t entirely accurate either).

And sometimes you can just tell by their demeanor/attitude. I knew my Gerard was a boy at two weeks old simply by how he moved .

The only real personality difference I've noticed is "he" doesn't like our kids to pick "him" up. The rest don't mind as long as the kids are gentle, and our son is obsessed with the idea of holding this one because it has the brighter comb, but so far, it has evaded him!

 

[Quaicken108]

Yep that’s a boy.

 

[JedJackson]

The only real personality difference I've noticed is "he" doesn't like our kids to pick "him" up. The rest don't mind as long as the kids are gentle, and our son is obsessed with the idea of holding this one because it has the brighter comb, but so far, it has evaded him!

If you have young kids, it might be a good idea to start looking into re-homing the rooster. Many roosters are fine with kids, but it's not worth taking the chance that you'll get an aggressive one.