Rooster?

[jesirose]

So, we're pretty sure one of our chicks is a rooster, and you guys on here confirmed it. Now we have another we're not sure about. If I end up with only two hens after all this I'm going to be so sad

This is my 9-10 week old speckled sussex. What do you think?

From front to back, speckled sussex ?, easter egger hen, rhode island red, easter egger roo


This is the other one we're sure is a roo, on the left here.


We're looking for new homes for him and if we have to the speckled sussex too, and then we'll figure out where we're going to get older pullets so we're sure - we wanted 5 hens. All of the stores that were selling the chicks said they had 90% accuracy, but apparently the one store we bought 3 of ours from doesn't.

 

[aoxa]

The EE hen you have there looks like a roo as well :/

Only one I see that is a pullet is the RIR.

 

[Supermommy486]

The EE hen you have there looks like a roo as well

Only one I see that is a pullet is the RIR.

I agree.

 

[aoxa]

I agree.

This is one I had a really hard time saying that. It would be so hard getting attached to them and having to let go of all but one.. :/ Very sorry.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I agree as well, sorry :/

 

[jesirose]

Oh for crying out loud...really?
That one is much smaller than the other one, and has almost no comb and it's pale...what makes you guys think it's a roo?

I'm not so much attached to them as invested in them. We raised them from chicks and they let us handle them easily, the whole reason I wanted to do chicks rather than just buy adult hens was so they'd grow up around us and the dogs and be comfortable. I don't think of them as pets, but we put a lot of time and effort plus some money into the brooder, raising them, etc. UGH.

That would mean all 3 of the chicks I bought from one store were boys. That's not even 50/50!!! We bought the two RIR from another store and one didn't make it.




What age should I be able to tell for sure? We don't want to give them away and have it turn out we were wrong or just took bad photos you know? I read that sometimes hens can crow but I'd think if it's every morning that's a rooster right?

I read if you throw something (like the feed) over their heads, the hens will duck and the roosters will look up like protecting the flock. Is that just a wives tale?

 

[aoxa]

Oh for crying out loud...really?
That one is much smaller than the other one, and has almost no comb and it's pale...what makes you guys think it's a roo?

I'm not so much attached to them as invested in them. We raised them from chicks and they let us handle them easily, the whole reason I wanted to do chicks rather than just buy adult hens was so they'd grow up around us and the dogs and be comfortable. I don't think of them as pets, but we put a lot of time and effort plus some money into the brooder, raising them, etc. UGH.

That would mean all 3 of the chicks I bought from one store were boys. That's not even 50/50!!! We bought the two RIR from another store and one didn't make it.




What age should I be able to tell for sure? We don't want to give them away and have it turn out we were wrong or just took bad photos you know? I read that sometimes hens can crow but I'd think if it's every morning that's a rooster right?

I read if you throw something (like the feed) over their heads, the hens will duck and the roosters will look up like protecting the flock. Is that just a wives tale?

Yes that is a wive's tale. It will work 50% of the time.



For the other EE - males will have burgundy and red in their shoulders. Females do not have this colouring.

Here is Illa sharing her knowledge

Actually, a VERY easy way to show people sexing EE's by demonstrating with your pictured birds there is by color. EE's are very easily sexed by color, as most are actually sex-linked too.



Females in most cases come out a partridge looking brown and black, often known as wild-type duckwing. Some though are silver too, which is strictly black and white, sometimes with a salmon breast.


Males on the other hand are quite often black and white, but have colored red, orange, or yellow feathers that emerge on sometimes the neck, back, and most importantly and almost always the shoulders. These are tell-tail signs of a male, as females cannot have that color in those regions. Other male colors that are red flags are one coming out with a black breast and red markings on the shoulders, neck, and back. /img/smilies/smile.png



True saddle and hackle feathers actually come in much later, so judging by them is a hard thing to do, especially when someone is new with chickens.

 

[aoxa]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/463817/easter-egger-sexing-tips-and-tricks-pictures-included

I recommend getting sex links that are sexable my colour alone.. Or getting chicks that are a bit older. Say around week 10-12 would be ideal.

 

[jesirose]

*sigh*

Now to figure out what to do with these guys and where I can actually get some hens.

 

[aoxa]

*sigh*

Now to figure out what to do with these guys and where I can actually get some hens.

Check on Kijiji, Craigslist or https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/67/buy-sell-trade