Sexing a 4wk old SL Wyandotte

[tendriana]

Hi everyone, new chicken owner here.

I was hoping someone could help me figure out if one of my chicks is a roo.

All three of my chicks are 4 weeks old. I have one SL Wyandotte, one RIR, and one Ameraucana.... errrr Easter Egger. They were all sold as pullets that had been vent-sexed, though I know there are no guarantees.

My concern is that while all three are getting their combs in, the SLW is much redder. All the chicks are the same size body wise, and the combs are pretty much the same size. Because I don't have another Wyandotte to compare to the one chick, I'm not sure if maybe SLW just get redder combs while other breeds at the same age are still tan. I can't really tell the difference between "Pointed" feathers and "Rounded" Feathers. Maybe I can take some more pictures tonight and post them for others to look at. All three chicks are about equal in terms of feathering. Based off what I've read here today, I'm going to more closely examine the SLW tonight and see if she has any bald spots that the others had already filled in. Also, I don't know if this makes any difference, but the SLW tends to perch more than the others, and while the other two are scurrying around pecking at food, the SLW stretches up curiously to check me out. Dunno if maybe this is just her personality... or if it means she's a roo!!

Any ideas? More pics to come tonight.

Thanks!

 

[Heckel's Hens]

Are you asking about the one on the far left? It does have a bigger comb, in comparison, but EEs have different comb structures, so it may not be a good one to compare to, if that makes sense!!

The comb, even for 4 weeks, isn't huge, so I'd wait 2 more weeks to decide.

 

[paceysgl5]

Your SLW looks just like mine did. She is a pullet as far as we know, and we also have 2 other wyandottes (GLW) with similar combs. I can't imagine all 3 are roo's considering the approx. 90% sexing accuracy...

my vote is pullet

 

[tendriana]

Heckel's Hens :

Are you asking about the one on the far left? It does have a bigger comb, in comparison, but EEs have different comb structures, so it may not be a good one to compare to, if that makes sense!!

The comb, even for 4 weeks, isn't huge, so I'd wait 2 more weeks to decide.

Whoops, sorry I should have clarified. The farthest left is a Rhode Island Red, the one in the middle is the Silver Laced Wyandotte I'm wondering about, and the one on the right is the EE.​

 

[tendriana]

Quote:
Thanks Pacey! I sure hope you're right. Her comb is obviously redder than the others, and flatter... but it's nice to know that other SLW chicks have similar combs. I agree - I doubt you'd get 3 boys labeled as pullets. I'll just have to cross my fingers I suppose!

 

[featherz]

My SLW went red at less than a week!! And she's definitely a girl. They are hard to peg sometimes - I was POSITIVE it was a roo - I mean, days??!?! But nope, she's a she.

 

[Katy]

That red at 4 weeks=a roo

 

[tendriana]

Quote:
You're positive she's a girl as in she's a laying hen? Gosh I sure hope so.

Katy - Thank you. Is it at all possible for gals to have a red comb at that age? Featherz says her female was red in a week?

 

[Katy]

Quote:
You're positive she's a girl as in she's a laying hen? Gosh I sure hope so.

Katy - Thank you. Is it at all possible for gals to have a red comb at that age? Featherz says her female was red in a week?

I've never had a wyandotte who was that red that young that wasn't a roo......and I've raised a lot of them the last 5+years.
Anything is possible, but I wouldn't get your hopes up that it's a girl.

 

[oldchickenlady]

I have 8 SLW's that are about 3 weeks old, 7 girls and 1 roo. I noticed very quickly the girls feathers on their wings were much longer than the roo wing feathers. I know that doesn't help you since you have nothing to compare him/her to, but you will find out eventually!