Rooster, pullet, or too early to tell?

[staceyl]

The large one on the left.
S/he is a Maran, 6-7 weeks old.
Things that make me think rooster: Red comb, large size, load peep, thick legs
Things that make me think pullet: Body shape, tail feathers, mellow personality.

S/he is my only maran, the one behind her is a barred rock, so I can't compare her directly. They could be up to a week apart in age also.

 

[Cowgirl71]

Rooster.

 

[staceyl]

Oh, and you can't tell in the pic but s/he has no wattle.

 

[Cowgirl71]

I'm going off of the large comb, big feet, thick legs, large body, and coloring (barred birds can be sexed by color).



Sorry.

 

[staceyl]

Well shoot. I wanted some dark eggs.
Do you know if Maran roosters are generally mellow? I can keep a rooster, but not if its mean. The rooster we got last year was evil, but made good burritos.

 

[staceyl]

Anyone?

 

[Cowgirl71]

I've been busy, haven't been on BYC for a couple days... Sorry!

No, I've never had any Marans and don't know very much about them. I generally stick with the more common breeds, especially Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rocks, Buff Orpingtons, and Easter Eggers.

 

[Chickmate]

I have Barred Rocks and can sex them by color, but have never had any Cuckoo Marans, so don't know if they can be sexed by color as well. If they color the same way the BRs do, I'd say that's a rooster.

 

[staceyl]

Thanks Cowgirl. I was sort of hoping someone would contradict you and tell me that I have a pullet. But I suspect that's wishful thinking. So, anyone ever have a maran rooster? Since I'm probably stuck with a boy, I'm at least hoping for a nice boy.

 

[KaneMoa]

I have a 8 month old Cuckoo Moran Rooster. He's a really good boy, rarely crows. He lives with a a Leghorn Rooster, they're best buddies. I'm not sure if that typical of the breed though. The Maran Roo gets huge, mine is young and towers over the Leghorn who's no slouch himself.