think I got a cockrel chick instead of a pullet

[juliefurry03]

So my batch of 5 buff brahma pullets came in Monday and right away I noticed one looked different. I wing sexed them after unpacking and it seems I may have gotten one male. Do you report it to the hatchery for reimbursement or will they say "to bad so sad we're only 95% accurate." It's just I spent almost $4 per baby and if that baby is male I can't even give him away! And with only being able to have a few chickens this really throws everything off. Since we got them home 4 are feathering really nicely in the wings and this one I wing sexed male isn't feathering as quickly as the others. Can you even wing sex brahmas?

Here are some pictures baby 2 is the one we think is male.

Baby #1

Baby #2

Baby #3

Baby #4

Baby #5

 

[iwiw60]

Way too soon to tell yet.

 

[scovyduck]

I agree lots of times you won't know till they lay an egg or start to crow
Gorgeous bird though!

 

[juliefurry03]

Thanks, guess I'm just being nervous. My older girls, brahmas and australorps, all feathered out the same time and very quickly and it seems like 4 of these babies are all keeping up with each other in regards to feathering just tyke #2 is feathering very slowly and not keeping up with the crowd. My friend who is big in chickens says that means he is a boy. And I wing sexed all the girls on day 1. I just love the baby and would hate for him to be a boy because I wouldn't want to give him away to someone because they'll just butcher him. If anyone is going to butcher him it's going to be me. Guess we'll see as they get older.

 

[scovyduck]

I would think it is more likely that the chick is sort of at the bottom of the pecking order and could just be not eating as Much since it could be getting bullied. That would explain the feathers and behavior.Every batch has one of those no matter what so I wouldn't worry to much. Watch for comb development but even that can be very unclear.
Keep us posted on the progress

 

[3riverschick]

Take a picture of the chick in question with its wings spread out in the fashion for ether sexing.
A real good view. Take another of the same view of one of the 4 chicks who look different. Do
it today or it may be too late. Email the pics to the hatchery and ask for a refund for the "different"
chick. Then wait to see what they say. Don't give your opinion except to say it's a cockerel and
you want a refund. See what falls out fot eh tree.
Best,
Karen

 

[juliefurry03]

Is this a decent picture? I don't mind that it happened I know accidents happen but I spent $4 per chick to ensure I got females, atleast give me the difference back of what I paid extra for a female. I really hope I'm wrong and he is a she because my children are really attached to "her".

 

[3riverschick]

Its ok. Just as long as you can definitely see the length of the two types of wing feathers used in feather sexing.
They need to be able to feather sex the bird via photo.
Best,
Karen

 

[evemfoster]

I am not sure even now seeing the photo. The chick with the longer feather may just be couple days older that the one with shorter feathers. Wing sexing needs to be done the day of hatching. Pullets will have 3-4 tiny feathers starting on the pointed end of the wing. The little pointie finger end. Roosters "finger" will be completely bare but will start growing feathers in less than 24 hours. Usually the chick is to old to sex by the time it gets to the store.

Also sexing by wing is only 90% accurate so 10 chicks out of every 100 will be roosters and that is what hatchery's will guarantee.

 

[juliefurry03]

Ok I called the feed store and asked what hatchery the babies came from, they weren't sure stuff either came from Ohio or Texas. I told them I was fairly certain I received a male when I should have received females. They told me to come up and they would replace him so they gave me a golden laced Cochin pullet free and said I could keep my male.