These are definitely roos, right?

[catchthewind]

I've pretty much written these guys off as cockerels, but reading other threads I'm confused now. I see lots pictures of pullets that look like cockerels to me. Obviously, I'm new and inexperienced and see wattles and combs and immediately think roo, even though I know some pullets do get them too. I've posted these guys before but it was a few weeks ago and not all the responses were confident.

1. Splash-Laced Wyandotte, about 7 weeks old, my daughter's favourite so we'll likely keep him regardless as long as he stays sweet

2. Australorp, also around 7 weeks old. I was pretty much positive this guy is a cockerel until I saw some pictures of Australorp pullets at 8 weeks with big combs and wattles. He had a bright red wattle even at 4 weeks old though. He's gorgeous, I wish we could keep all our roos.

3. Easter Egger, 9 weeks old. Not sure why his eye looks so red around it. I didn't think of it until after I had taken pictures but the heat lamp from the younger chicks' brooder is right next to where I was taking pictures, so probably reflection from that. While his comb is actually not that red in this picture, it's way redder than my other EE. Also, his wattles are big and red and he acts like a roo. Couldn't get a great picture of him, he was too busy strutting around and acting roo-ish.

4. And this one I'm not as sure about as the other three. I've had mixed opinions here about his/her gender. He is a 13-week-old Lavender Orpington. No sign of crowing at all yet. We'll keep him regardless I think, again as long as he stays friendly. Right now he's a love, always comes to see us and wants pets. I think Orpingtons must be the Labrador of the chicken world... At least, mine are so far.

I know saddle feathers are another way to tell but not entirely sure which exactly are the saddle feathers. So, don't know if this picture helps at all. It's a bit blurry because I was trying to take pictures while making sure my one year old didn't get too rough with them. The two Orpingtons actually seem to really like her.

For comparison, here is my other Orpington who I am more sure is a pullet.

5. And lastly, our Light Brahma. She was sold sexed as a pullet at 6 weeks and the guy I got her from was very confident she is definitely a pullet. But her comb and wattles look awfully red to me. Again, not familiar with most breeds so maybe that's normal for Brahmas? She's 9 weeks now.

 

[donrae]

Wyandottes are tricky for me. That's a lot of red that young, could be boy?
Australorp I think is pullet
Your easter egger isn't an easter egger, looks like a cochin? I know there's got to be other things with feathered legs and straight combs, cause that tail's not really cochin. Or maybe hatchery cochin? I'm not sure what color that is, I think mixed. Oh and I'm thinking pullet.
The orp and brahma both look like girls to me.

They're young yet, something that would help is a nice profile shot including their legs. Leg thickness is a good indicator of sex.

The saddle feathers are the long, flowy feathers that hang down the sides at the back, in front of the tail. Look at some roo pics and you'll be able to see them. Hackle feathers are the same, just located on the neck.

 

[catchthewind]

Thanks donrae. That's a bad picture of the EE. He doesn't have feathered legs, that's just his wonky wing feathers. He always looks like he's carrying them away from himself. I thought there was something wrong with him at first.

I hope you're right about the Australorp.

I really didn't realize pullets could have such big combs and wattles this young!

 

[luvchicks8]

I don't see any that are screaming roo

 

[PeakyBeaky]

That wyandotte IS a roo!

 

[catchthewind]

Quote:
Thank you for the explanation btw. I'll go see if I can spot some on the rooster pictures. I'll also try and get some profile shots of them to post.

How much does personality come into play? The EE is very roo-ish and does the stance thing I've seen in other pictures and runs in front of all the others when I open the door. The Orpingtons always come over to see me too, but they're not quite so pushy as he is. It's more like they're interested, whereas he just want to be in front.

I'm glad I posted though. Here I thought I had for sure 4 cockerels, maybe 5, and it turns out I might only have 1. Out of 9 chicks (8 of which were straight run), that's not bad at all.

To be honest, I kind of hope the Orpington is a roo. I've heard such good things about Orpington personalities, and with two young kids any roos I keep need to be well-mannered.

ETA: I sent the Wyandotte and Australorp pictures to their breeder and she says they both look pretty suspect to her. Her Australorp pullets of the same age all have smaller combs and they're not as red. She told me the Wyandotte should become obvious soon, as he will grow in shiny, pointy feathers on his back. I assume those are the saddle feathers?

 

[jywel417]

They wyndotte may be a rooster but no one screams rooster, the others (my guess anyway) would be pullets. . . .

 

[fancyfowl4ever]

That ee doesn't look very ee'ish at all, single comb and beardless and not even a common ee colour. It actually reminds me of a really light jaehorn or a Marraduna Basque(Marraduna Euskal Oiloa)

 

[featherz]

Here is a pic of a BLRW turning into a roo so you can know what to look for:

9ish weeks - see those dark feathers?

13 weeks - dark feathers turning shiny and draping over back:

wyandottes can be tricky. I had one that had a red comb within a week that turned out to be a girl. The chicken above had the thinnest legs of all my wyandottes and no red in the comb until 6-8 weeks, then morphed into a little roo.

 

[farmerChef]

You have a Blue laced Wyandotte, not a splash, if it was a splash, it would be light blue, almost white.

I don't think your EE is an EE either. It has a single comb and doesn't have a beard.
And the way his wing is, I think that's called having a slip wing.

Those large combed pullets can be hard to sex if you only have 1 or 2. I have some Penedesencas and the pullets have as much comb as your BA, but the little roos, man talk about some comb AND wattles! I think yours is a hen.