Sexing Black Copper Marans chicks

[wrathsfarm]

Hi.

Here are the two Marans boys, at almost 3-months-old today :

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The one on the perch is Ulysse.
The one on the ground is Hector.

Which one do I keep?

...Ulysse - on our left - is the most developped; and Hector - on our right - is bulier and actually looks sturdier :

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...Ulysse already has a pretty long tail compared with Hector :

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He also has not so much copper coloured feathers :

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...Whereas Hector has a lot of red, especially on his chest :

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Nevertheless, I just feel he is the boy I should keep home - since he looks stronger... and I just really, really like his eyes :

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Both of them seem to be tolerated by Rocky - my Brahma rooster; so I can chose the one I want to keep home...

...But which one should I choose eventually?

Sorry I missed this,
Curious about an update....

12 weeks is really too young to make assessments but understandable that you need to downsize the boys. I also try to evaluate mine asap to get them re homed.
I think your thoughts on keeping Hector are correct? Much more mass, shorter and has a nicer tail. A little over coloring in the chest may molt out around 18 months old but can be useful breeding to hens lacking hackle copper.

If you still have either of them or both now at around 20 weeks I'd love to see updated pics...

 

[Papaye]

Hi.

I think your thoughts on keeping Hector are correct? Much more mass, shorter and has a nicer tail.

Yeah... I sooooo wanted to keep him...
...but I gave him away just the other day : his behaviour was not the best.

Hector is a territorial boy, that is not scared to attack other animals - including cats (even though he does not actually hurt them) -, and that likes to show his dominance... not ideal if I want to keep my Brahma rooster too, you know?

So, I had to get rid of him; and decided to keep Ulysse instead.

If you still have either of them or both now at around 20 weeks I'd love to see updated pics...

Here is Ulysse today :

(I could not take ANY good picture...!!)

In spite of the fact it does not show on the pictures, Ulysse is a very, VERY shiny boy.

...Given he was not the Marans rooster I wanted to keep AND I am much too occupied with my ducks for the time being, I still have not taken the time to educate him.
But once I have more time for him, I will!

Of course, if Ulysse causes any problem in the flock, I will get rid of him too.
I know an agressive behaviour can actually be genetic, so I prefer to be careful with that.

(...But if ever I have to give him away, I probably will try again : I will hatch Marans eggs, and try to raise a good rooster for my hens.)