It's my first time with the Speckled Sussex breed. I had another SS chick the same age as this one whose traits definitely marked him as a male at six weeks old, so I gave that one away quickly, but this chicken pictured below keeps confusing me.
At first glance, the curved tail feathers say it's a male, while the small, slow-growing crest and neck feathers hint at a pullet. However I've also seen some full grown hen pictures with curved tail feathers while browsing the web a few months back, so despite my growing conviction that this chick is a guy, he could, for all I know, be a girl. He/she has yet to crow, which would be a definitive answer to the question, so right now this chick's prolonged silence is leaving me a bit disturbed. And here's why.
Three years ago, my beginner's luck had me hatch a pullet that laid eggs for a full season before turning into a rooster next spring (stopped laying entirely, grew spears, started crowing and bossing her flockmates around, reigning rooster included), but I've yet to see a possible rooster that could potentially turn into an egg-layer. However with my luck that could also be possible. So now, faced with this three-way dilemma, I'm calling for some experienced folk to clear this up. With all the clues I've laid above, do I have a pullet, a cockerel, or a potentially androgynous chicken on my hands, guys??
At first glance, the curved tail feathers say it's a male, while the small, slow-growing crest and neck feathers hint at a pullet. However I've also seen some full grown hen pictures with curved tail feathers while browsing the web a few months back, so despite my growing conviction that this chick is a guy, he could, for all I know, be a girl. He/she has yet to crow, which would be a definitive answer to the question, so right now this chick's prolonged silence is leaving me a bit disturbed. And here's why.
Three years ago, my beginner's luck had me hatch a pullet that laid eggs for a full season before turning into a rooster next spring (stopped laying entirely, grew spears, started crowing and bossing her flockmates around, reigning rooster included), but I've yet to see a possible rooster that could potentially turn into an egg-layer. However with my luck that could also be possible. So now, faced with this three-way dilemma, I'm calling for some experienced folk to clear this up. With all the clues I've laid above, do I have a pullet, a cockerel, or a potentially androgynous chicken on my hands, guys??
