Supposed To Be Solid Blue Wyandotte Pullet... True?

[chickenE]

Guessing girl.

 

[feathermaid]

Much like cockerels or roosters of other breeds will develop brick red wing bars, a blue cockerel or rooster will develop darker 'blue' bars on their wings. This is a blue ameraucana I found on google. Notice how he has darker 'blue' on his wing shoulders and (in this case) his hackles as well? That's what I'm talking about there...
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Oh yes, thank you! I've heard to look for the red wing feathers on other cockerels, but didn't know what to look for here. Are the darker wing bars always present? If so, I could just move some feathers out of the way and look deeper into the wings. Or do they show up later like saddle feathers? I just know the head/neck feathers have turned darker recently and seem pointier.

ALSO, THERE'S BEEN SOME CRAZY BEHAVIOR I FORGOT TO MENTION! Blueberry sprints around and jumps up... with flared out hackles sometimes. The other two aren't quite as wild when they get excited like that. The big hen ignores it all, and pecks if one gets too close. Blueberry had always been the friendliest chick and wanted to be held all the time, now she/he is a lot more skittish.

I'm super happy that so many of you have guessed pullet, but it this somewhat aggressive & flighty behavior something to worry about?

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Oh yes, thank you! I've heard to look for the red wing feathers on other cockerels, but didn't know what to look for here. Are the darker wing bars always present? If so, I could just move some feathers out of the way and look deeper into the wings. Or do they show up later like saddle feathers? I just know the head/neck feathers have turned darker recently and seem pointier.

ALSO, THERE'S BEEN SOME CRAZY BEHAVIOR I FORGOT TO MENTION! Blueberry sprints around and jumps up... with flared out hackles sometimes. The other two aren't quite as wild when they get excited like that. The big hen ignores it all, and pecks if one gets too close. Blueberry had always been the friendliest chick and wanted to be held all the time, now she/he is a lot more skittish.

I'm super happy that so many of you have guessed pullet, but it this somewhat aggressive & flighty behavior something to worry about?

That sounds like the kids playing. I wouldn't be too worried about it for now. And no, they have to grow in, which usually starts somewhat young. Your bird doesn't have them, so that's part of saying Blueberry looks pullet.

 

[Tiana's chickens]

Maybe you could part the back feathers to see if any rooster feathers are growing through?

 

[feathermaid]

That sounds like the kids playing. I wouldn't be too worried about it for now. And no, they have to grow in, which usually starts somewhat young. Your bird doesn't have them, so that's part of saying Blueberry looks pullet.

Phew! I'll try to relax now and just wait it out. I found myself becoming crabby with Blueberry lately just because the poor thing might not be a girl. Shame on me!

Maybe you could part the back feathers to see if any rooster feathers are growing through?

I did that yesterday and didn't find any darker feathers in there at all... just a few pin feathers coming in. Hopefully those ones won't turn out dark.

 

[sylviethecochin]

I vote pullet. Wyandottes get really red, really early.

I thought my silver-laced Wyandotte was a male for several weeks. Her comb was red when she was two weeks old. She had stick-up tail feathers by the time she was eight weeks old. But she never developed the broken lacing on the wings and back, and she's now eighteen weeks old and definitely a girl.

 

[feathermaid]

I vote pullet. Wyandottes get really red, really early.

I thought my silver-laced Wyandotte was a male for several weeks. Her comb was red when she was two weeks old. She had stick-up tail feathers by the time she was eight weeks old. But she never developed the broken lacing on the wings and back, and she's now eighteen weeks old and definitely a girl.

Awesome! I can't tell you how many threads I've read here with people posting pictures of their "questionable" bird and almost always they turned out cockerel. So I almost didn't post this thread because I pretty much thought "If you think it might be a boy, it probably is."

Glad to hear about your specific experience with Wyandottes! Thanks!