Smaller Size=Possible Roo?

Padfoot417

Chirping
8 Years
May 31, 2011
142
3
91
Massachusetts
I have 5 chicks.1 Rhode Island Red,2 Buff Orpingtons,and 2 Barred Plymouth Rocks.They were hatchery sexed and so believed to be all hens.Little Charlotte,the small PR in the sun next to the Buff,I'm worried she might be a Chuck instead of a Charlotte!They're only 3 weeks old,but is her smaller size a possible indication that she's a he?This is my first flock,so I'm not as chicken savvy as I wish I was.

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charlotte2.jpg
 
Hi there! I wouldn't say it's size that distinguishes a male from a female. Often times, you just have to wait until they grow a bit, but with a Barred Rock, I believe the sexing is done by a spot on the head.

From the overhead view, the chick has the body shape of a pullet. Often times, a young rooster (cockerel) will have thicker legs, and then you can see bigger combs and wattles (or waddles-I can't spell haha). Sometimes (and this isn't full proof), a rooster chick will feather out very slowly......first with a little bit of wing feathers, barely any tail feathers and a fuzzy body for the longest time.....

I would say I think it's a she.....

Keep us posted!

Sharon
 
I'm hoping that's true!
Last night she kept opening and closing her beak,as if she was yawning.It seemed way too frequent to be a yawn though.
My mother automatically pointed at her and said "That's a silent crow!" but I'm not so sure.
I know if we have a rooster then my mom is getting rid of it,no ifs ands or buts.She wants eggs to eat and ONLY that,nothing more.
But I've raised this baby out of the palm of my hand,if it ends up being a roo and then I have to watch him be handed off to go die!?NO THANK YOU!
So I can only hope it's true that's she's overly bold,just as Scarlet is.(I'm completely convinced Scarlet is a pullet)
And Charlotte is developing at the same rate as the others,albeit she looks a little smaller.
All I can do now is hope and wait.
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The mouth gaping could be a crop adjustment. They open wide and make a neck motion to move things around a bit. My parrot used to do it too (and she absolutely did not crow but she did lay eggs on occasion).

Your chick looks nice and dark to me so she's probably just a petite girl. My mom has 4 Barred Rocks and there is a ton of size variation in hers. Hatchery stock tends to be more variable in traits than breeder stock.
 
Ah okay that makes sense.I guess the only reason I was really doubting too was because my friend got chickens from the same feed store a few years back and they ended up with a roo.
Mistakes happen though!I think they got these gals all right,and I'm especially hoping because I started off with 6 chicks and ended up with 5 when one died the first night.
I don't want to end up with 4!HOORAY FOR HENS!
 

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