Salmon Faverolles 3 weeks old: Could it be a roo? That's what I initially thought

[jtallant]

But now there is all this brown coming in and I'm confused so thought I'd post a few pics and see if the experts here could help me out with what I am seeing. Hatched from an egg order from MPC (the only one to hatch) Thanks!

 

[dretd]

I see no boy-feathers. The girls can have brown/mahogany colored feathers and the HQ ones can even have some black. My HQ hen started sprouting black in her beard and feather tips but as she has molted through the years there is much less black. She kind of a quirky bird (not socialized with the other chicken sort of like Chicken Aspergers) but she is very cuddly and everyone's favorite.

 

[jtallant]

I see no boy-feathers. The girls can have brown/mahogany colored feathers and the HQ ones can even have some black. My HQ hen started sprouting black in her beard and feather tips but as she has molted through the years there is much less black. She kind of a quirky bird (not socialized with the other chicken sort of like Chicken Aspergers) but she is very cuddly and everyone's favorite.

Well that would be a stroke of luck if he is a she Thank you for the insight on the feather colors. I read that the boys have the black primary feathers so as soon as I saw those come in I figured boy but then no other truly black feathers were coming in on the chest and I was befuddled as to what I was seeing versus what I had read on sexing these chicks. Chicken Aspergers...lol

 

[TherryChicken]

I'd have to say cockerel.. The wing feathers say it all

 

[BlueCamas]

I'd have to say cockerel as well because of the black primaries, though I'd wait until the breast feathers come in to be sure.

 

[jtallant]

Thanks for all the thoughts! I will wait for the breast feathers to start coming in and maybe that will help me out a bit. There are small pin feathers coming in on the shoulders high so maybe in a few days I will see some color there soon. He is only 3 weeks today so probably another 2 weeks and I'll know better.

 

[NovaAman]

Watch the foot feathering. Boy if it starts turning black. The beard should also start turning black . I personally think it is a girl. My boys by three weeks, you could tell they were boys. Some girls are coming with more of a brown/mahogany coloring from hatcheries these days and not what we would think of as salmon. They are also starting to look more brown on the pullets all over than the traditional white(creamy) belly feathers and beard. The beard and the feet should be a big clue also at 3 weeks. If they don't turn black in the next week, I would place my bets on that being a pullet.

 

[NovaAman]

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGD/Favs/BRKFaverolles.html

If you scroll down to the bottom of the page, it will show you feather sexing on the chicks at two weeks and at 21 days.

Also, here is a pic of some faverolle pullets at 5 weeks... Your chick does not look to far off from these girls.

 

[keesmom]

Pullet.

 

[jtallant]

Watch the foot feathering. Boy if it starts turning black. The beard should also start turning black . I personally think it is a girl. My boys by three weeks, you could tell they were boys. Some girls are coming with more of a brown/mahogany coloring from hatcheries these days and not what we would think of as salmon. They are also starting to look more brown on the pullets all over than the traditional white(creamy) belly feathers and beard. The beard and the feet should be a big clue also at 3 weeks. If they don't turn black in the next week, I would place my bets on that being a pullet.

Yes, he or she definitely is more dark brown than salmon-ish than I thought it would be, but then I didn't learn about the difference of hatchery chicks until after I ordered. The feet feathers truly look brownish to me and not black (yet!). I do hope if he is a she that it keeps a little bit to the standard as I find them so beautiful, but nonetheless, being the first egg I ever hatched he or she will always be rather special just to me. I appreciate the link too, thanks!