Wattles on BR's

[OldMORoo]

Have 8 BR's in my herd for now with a mix of others. Ages are between 6 to 8 wks. old. Some are delveloping wattles; 5 larger ones; and the smallers ones not yet. Any way to tell which are Roo's or Pullits? Have one RIR that is large he/she that I play pull your butt feathers with and will keep the others away, or will run others off if they get around me; me thinks this is my pet; but wasn't looking for one.

Was just looking for eggs and meat.

Live on a large farm and don't need any more pets.

Claude

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Quote:
I hatched out two barred rock chicks this last hatch - it was reasonably easy to tell after the first week which was the male - the comb on the male was darker pinkish red and larger - the female's comb was smaller and more pale pink.

These were BR mixed with OEG, but they look BR.

If they are pure BR you are supposed to be able to tell by a white spot on top of their head - seems I recall if there is a large spot it's a male, if a small spot or no spot is a female. I could be remembering wrong, though.

hmmm I thought I had a good pic of them both, but I don't, sorry - wish this was more helpful.

Usually (not always, since BR's are so outgoing) the males will be friendlier and more apt to come up to you than the females.
One reason I like barred rocks is that they have no shame about coming looking for scratchies or treats - they are funny.

meri

 

[OldMORoo]

Tks. MoJo.
These came from an old man [ me laughing, I'm old ] that hatches eggs that he gets from the Amish down here. Their purty birds, and they are feathering out nicely, with the nice BR color; but who knows. Will cull when they get older, or let the Roo's free range when they get older.
Claude

 

[walkswithdog]

My partridge rock cockerals did comb color and wattle much earlier than the girls, other than a couple of odd girls that is. There's always one or two that try to throw you if the group is large enough.

As to that one already pulling feathers and charging others, that's NOT pet behavior, that's dominant, probably a cockeral and probably going to get nasty early. He's announcing his potential as dinner. Watch him and control him. Pick him up when he pushes others around and carry him for awhile or soon you'll have a bird pushing YOU around.

Any Rock that acts like that RIR is also one you should sort out for meat/soup. Pushy, feather pulling birds can wreak havoc in an otherwise peaceful group. If at any point one is wounded you can bet the feather pullers tear it to bits.

Sell them off or cull mean birds because you don't want a juvenille that acts like that in your adult flock.

Good luck with the Barreds I adore them.