Sexing my 5 week old barred rocks

[AndreaGray]

#2 is definitely a cockerel, #1 has significantly less comb so may be a pullet. I am somewhat confused as to who is who in your most recent pictures, you don't have them labeled there. The most recent photo is of a cockerel. The previous photos at 5 weeks look like pullets, though the comb is a little on the large side.

The general guideline is 10 hens per rooster to minimize over mating and possible fighting. You have enough for 1 rooster, possibly 2 if they get along okay and are raised together.

You got some cockerels. Just see how it goes. They tend to get an attitude as they go through a teenager hormonal phase and you might not think they're so cute. ;-) Alternatively, they could be sweet and good to the girls.

Here are my barred rocks at about 5 weeks.. I’m crossing my fingers they can both keep their girl names

Here are my barred rocks at about 5 weeks.. I’m crossing my fingers they can both keep their girl names

Here are my barred rocks at about 5 weeks.. I’m crossing my fingers they can both keep their girl names

Here are my barred

 

[AndreaGray]

You got some cockerels. Just see how it goes. They tend to get an attitude as they go through a teenager hormonal phase and you might not think they're so cute. ;-) Alternatively, they could be sweet and good to the girls.

The last pic I posted is of chick number two. Here is number one...

 

[AndreaGray]

#2 is definitely a cockerel, #1 has significantly less comb so may be a pullet. I am somewhat confused as to who is who in your most recent pictures, you don't have them labeled there. The most recent photo is of a cockerel. The previous photos at 5 weeks look like pullets, though the comb is a little on the large side.

The general guideline is 10 hens per rooster to minimize over mating and possible fighting. You have enough for 1 rooster, possibly 2 if they get along okay and are raised together.

That last pic was of chick number 2. Here is a recent of number 1

 

[Ruthster55]

cockerel

 

[MysteryChicken]

They're cockerels.

 

[Mylied]

The last pic I posted is of chick number two. Here is number one...

You can tell with the barring in barred rocks. Males have more barring and look whiter, females have less barring and look darker. It's pretty clear when you have one of each to compare. Anyway, that's how I knew they both were male.

 

[AndreaGray]

Okay. Recent pics for those following. Chick number 2 is on the left and chick number 1 on the right.

 

[Ruthster55]

One cockerel and one pullet. The lighter-colored one with the larger comb is the cockerel.

 

[AndreaGray]

One cockerel and one pullet. The lighter-colored one with the larger comb is the cockerel.

I just don’t knoooow. The darker one actually has a larger comb and wattle

 

[Ruthster55]

Yes. The lighter one with the larger comb and wattle is the cockerel.

People who work with lots of Barred Plymouth Rocks and have experience can sex the 3-week-old chicks going with females as darker and cockerels as lighter. I think with the babies there is something about the size of the white spot on the head, but have forgotten.

Your post is actually helpful to those who are new to Barred Plymouth Rocks because there are several pics that show the stages of development.

If I made a mistake in the post above, I will remove it.