Trying to learn more about gender and breeds of my 8 week old chickens

NewishChickenMama

In the Brooder
Nov 6, 2022
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Hey there!
I’ve got chickens from my neighbor who is new to chicken keeping. And this is my first time playing the gender guessing game. They are just over 8 weeks old now and I wanted to see if anyone had options on gender and breed! I’m loving watching them grow up, and it’s more for my curiosity and to help educate myself. (And others who are trying to sex their own young chickens) So I’d love to hear your opinions and what leads you to believe that. Or I especially want to know if I am wrong for any of my assumptions.
Thank you so much!

Possible parents are: buff polish, red polish, unknown bantam(looked like a Red Old English Game Bantam rooster), silkie, black maran, Easter Egger, possible others that she forgot about.


Okay, so i did a lot of research on sexing chickens and looking through old forums, and from what I gathered, here are my thoughts.
#1 pullet
#2 roo
#3 roo
#4 pullet

I am leaning towards #1 being a female, even though they have always had the largest wattle and I previously had been thinking roo since I first got them. Their wattle is very pale, and because their plumage is fluffy and shaped like my other hens, it leads me to think female. Especially compared to the similar looking #2, who does have smaller wattles, but they’re very red, and he definitely holds himself like a roo. #2 has more defined brown patches on his feathering than #1, who has different spots of coloring but it all seems to blend together more nicely.
#3 also has bold patches of the red/brown on his black coloring, holds himself like a roo as well, and I THINK i see saddle feathers coming in, so thinking male. #2 & #3 are also my best buds right now. Super curious and always at my heels when I’m out with them. #1 is also extremely curious, but not so in my face about it, if that makes any sense.
#4 I’m nearly positive is female. She looks just like one of my late hens minus the little feathers peeping off her head. She also mostly avoids me, has “hen-ish” posture, and has the smallest, palest, wattle.

I have no guesses on breeds🤷‍♀️
Maybe some maran for #4. And polish for the ones who have head feathers that are poking out?
But I’m loving all their colouring! And curious to how they got it. They look different than all my neighbors current chickens.
 

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4 us definitely a pullet and 3 definitely a cockerel. 1 and 2 I'm on the fence I'm seeing male specific coloring but I could be mistaken:caf. Post some close pictures of their wing feathers to make sure
 
These guys remind me a bit of my own chooks. Based on their comb development and splotchy colouring, I'd say 1, 2 and 3 are all probably male, while 4 definitely female. The rust colour around the wing area is a good indicator that they're dudes.
 
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I agree, 1-3 are all probably roos, three definitely. Four is a pullet. As for breed, it looks like two and three have muffs, which points to Easter Egger parentage. One possibly could as well, but not sure about four. Something with a single comb, which rules out the polish and silkie.
 
I agree, 1-3 are all probably roos, three definitely. Four is a pullet. As for breed, it looks like two and three have muffs, which points to Easter Egger parentage. One possibly could as well, but not sure about four. Something with a single comb, which rules out the polish and silkie.
Ooo thank you! I didn’t know that some combs were breed specific. I’ll have to look into that more. :)
 
4 us definitely a pullet and 3 definitely a cockerel. 1 and 2 I'm on the fence I'm seeing male specific coloring but I could be mistaken:caf. Post some close pictures of their wing feathers to make sure
Okay! Here are a quite a few photos of wings. I realized I didn’t know how they should be positioned. #2 was much more photogenic. #1 didn’t like me stretching out their wing.
What do the wings have to do with gender at this age? Is it just the coloring you’re looking at?
 

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Okay! Here are a quite a few photos of wings. I realized I didn’t know how they should be positioned. #2 was much more photogenic. #1 didn’t like me stretching out their wing.
What do the wings have to do with gender at this age? Is it just the coloring you’re looking at?
Number 2 is confirmed
Brah's a rooster
 

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