Sexing Barred Rocks

[BuffaloridaGirl]

Good morning! My BR is about 8 weeks old... Biggest of all the spring chicks of various breeds. The only BR I have. I am thinking pullet so far, but long curled tail feathers makes me suspicious. In my opinion the comb isn't overly colorful... Yet. I think if it were a cockerel it would be a deeper color.

 

[Chicken Girl1]

Could you get a better picture of the tail? I can't really see it.

 

[junebuggena]

Good morning! My BR is about 8 weeks old... Biggest of all the spring chicks of various breeds. The only BR I have. I am thinking pullet so far, but long curled tail feathers makes me suspicious. In my opinion the comb isn't overly colorful... Yet. I think if it were a cockerel it would be a deeper color.

Pullet.

 

[BuffaloridaGirl]

I was hoping you would chime in Junebuggena! You know my EE's name is June right?
And I will post a pic of her long tail when I get a new picture

 

[tiffanyb]

Hi all! I'm new to BYC and chickens. I'd love some help sexing my (7) 3 1/2 wo barred rock babies. I was told they were all female when I bought them at one week old, and also that they are pure barred rocks. However, looking at #2, I'm not sure it is even a barred rock?? Coloring is black w a reddish copper color, only white is on the underside. Any info you have would be helpful in helping me determine whether they're all female and all BRs. All of their legs are in between, a mix of dark and light, so I can't sex them based on that.

Thanks!!

 

[tiffanyb]

I need to get a better pic of #4. I'm pretty sure 5, 6, and 7 are pullets. Thoughts?

 

[tiffanyb]

Here is a better pic of #2, 3, and 4 (left to right). I mentioned above thinking #6 is female, but I think it's a roo.

 

[junebuggena]

Hi all! I'm new to BYC and chickens. I'd love some help sexing my (7) 3 1/2 wo barred rock babies. I was told they were all female when I bought them at one week old, and also that they are pure barred rocks. However, looking at #2, I'm not sure it is even a barred rock?? Coloring is black w a reddish copper color, only white is on the underside. Any info you have would be helpful in helping me determine whether they're all female and all BRs. All of their legs are in between, a mix of dark and light, so I can't sex them based on that.

Thanks!!

The lightest one can only be male. The one that's black with gold looks like a black sexlink pullet. The rest you will have to wait and see. They may be purebred females, or they could be crossbred (black sexlink) males.

 

[DreamsInPink]

@junebuggena

Are all males that light?

 

[junebuggena]

@junebuggena

Are all males that light?

With the way the barring/cuckoo gene works, only the males can have two copies of the barring gene. That means that they have twice as much white barring than females, resulting in the 'light' coloring. Pullets can only have a single copy of the barring gene, and thus look darker.
However, with crossbred birds, the dark equals pullet rule no longer applies, since crossbred males may only have a single copy of the barring gene, instead of two like a purebred. The 'light' chick must be male, and the black with red is probably a black sexlink pullet. The rest could be male or female, though, since the parentage of the chicks is questionable.