Welsummer Puzzler

[figlette]

It's a girl!

It's a girl!

It's a ???!

As young chicks they all very looked like sweet little Welsummer gals, but now I am starting to question whether Matilda is actually just Matt. I called the farm where she came from a week or so ago because she was lagging so far behind the bigger girls, but she did finally start developing feathers. And two days ago she started developing a serious comb. Hoping she just is well endowed. Anyone have any thoughts?

If we have a Roo, I would like to get him swapped out sooner rather than later in hopes that the toddler doesn't notice.

Mat(t)ilda is in the back in the first picture and the middle of the second.

Thanks for looking at the girls (I hope). And side note, Welsummer chicks are big girls!

 

[AussieSharon]

Sorry but I am thinking Matt too.

 

[speckledhen]

Has the chick in question got black feathers coming in on its chest? Looks like it in the photos. If so, I think Matt also. Welsummer males have black on their chests rather than salmon brown, I'm told.

 

[AussieSharon]

Cyn please come to my place and sex my 6 welsummer chicks. They all look the same, I either have 6 roos or 6 pullets.

 

[BikerBabeRules]

As a rule, Welsummer boys have silvery coloring to them. Mine all did anyways and that's what I found when I researched. The girls were all brown, and chimpmunky colored. I say you have girls.

 

[SeaChick]

I'm going to link this to my thread with the same question. Happily, the consensus on mine is pullets... they both have brown, not black, feathers coming in on the side of the breast. In this thread, check out the photos (you have to click the links) of Vicki2x2's chicks on page 3... you can see the black on the cockerel!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=42127&p=1


Here are more recent pics and responses on my girls (look about the same age as yours!):
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=44670

And, yeah, my WElsummers are MONSTER chicks!! Way bigger and stockier than the others, especially at 1-2 weeks...

Stacey

 

[speckledhen]

Sharon, you can bet I'll be here in a month asking for help sexing my own Welsummers! Sometimes it takes someone not so close to the situation, I think, LOL.

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

It looks like a male. I can kinda see black breast feathers. Also, he is feathering in slower, so they are sexlinked slow feathering, the males take forever and the females feather in quick.

 

[figlette]

Thank you everyone. Looking at the picture of the Roo makes me lean even further towards boy. I have been suspect without basis of her being a him for awhile now, but the pointy made me really question things. Thank you for the insight on feathering. Will keep an eye on the breast feathers before I decide whether I need to drive her back to the farm.

 

[figlette]

So Matilda is definitely a Matt. If anyone is trying to sex Welsummers, these are the things I noticed that lead me to suspect that she was a he:

Very slow feather development compared to the pullets.
Slower growth curve than the pullets.
Slightly V shaped comb about 3 weeks, which started to grow rapidly at about 4 weeks and began pinking up.
Slighter in general than the pullets. This is what kept throwing me off. His legs were thinner and shorter, but he was also shorter and slighter in general.
Did not notice a difference in the way he carried himself.
He DID have the "V" on his head, which I understand is a female trait (perhaps he is transgender)
His eyeliner disappeared at about 4 weeks

All is well. Matt is back on the farm and we now have two Americaunas taking his place. If anyone is around Portland, Oregon and interested in a Welsummer roo, just holler. I know one who is looking for a new home.