Telling the Gender of Barred Rock Chicks

[SunChick]

I read somewhere that white on the back of the head is male and black is female. True or not true?

Thanks!

 

[LoneCowboy]

Nope. A sharp defined white spot on the back of the head, along with black splash down the front of the legs is a girl. Fuzzy big white spot on the head with no real definate black splash or really light is a boy.

Now, having said that, I still have pictures I'm going to post to get Speckledhens opinion.

 

[SunChick]

I have at least two with NO white spot, but it looks like they have black splash on their feet

 

[speckledhen]

That would be highly unusual. ALL BR chicks should have a white headspot. Did you hatch these or buy them? Sexlink pullets would have no headspot, but BR girls should have at least a small one.

 

[ebonykawai]

Is there any way to tell the gender of RIR chicks?

 

[speckledhen]

Wait about four weeks on the RIR's then look at the legs-cockerels have thicker legs and the comb and wattles start to get larger than the girls. I have a good comparison pic of two that I hatched, brother and sister at four weeks, if you'd like to see it, but I don't want to horn in on Sunchick's BR thread.

 

[Pinenot]

I am not trying to dispute this subject, I will just comment on mine...all my girl barred rock chicks had a black head...all my boys had some white fuzz on their heads. All my girls are darker in over all color and the boys are lighter. It could be different with different breeding lines of barred rocks.

 

[speckledhen]

Here are chicks from my own stock, to show what they're talking about. Even though the spot may be tiny, there should still be one 99% of the time. Yes, boys are lighter. :

Cockerel

Pullet

This pic shows boy at bottom of pic and girl by the screen door:

 

[ZuniBee]

So this is a boy right?

 

[speckledhen]

Looks like it to me, Jay. Remember, though, that the sexing is not 100%. My Lexie had a huge, splotchy headspot, lighter legs than the others and lighter color overall, so she was completely opposite to every BR pullet I've ever had since.