Welsummer "Sisters" Very Different

[ChickieChickieMama]

I brought home two Welsummer ladies from TSC a week and a half ago (along with six other assorted girls). At the time, I asked for two that looked a little different from one another so that I could keep them straight haha, and to have a nice variety in my flock. As they have gotten older it's apparent though that they are VERY different. This is my first time raising chicks so I don't know what's normal. Are they both the same age (as they're supposed to be) but just from different parents? Or are they different ages? Or is one a roo?? They were both supposed to be girls but I'm sure sometimes there's a mix up. Maybe one is a Bantam?? I have no idea. ‍

The pics don't show their differences well so I'll try to explain too. Irma is on the left. It's hard to tell but she's about twice the size of Ethel on the right - in height especially, as Ethel has baby pudge but Irma looks more muscular and lean. Irma is predominantly grey whereas Ethel is brown. Irma is getting a lot of her feathers in and has a tail but Ethel still has a little fuzzy bum. Irma has a spikey comb already but Ethel has just a little bumpy bit. Their wings seem similar but different shape and slightly different pattern, but their backs have the same chipmunk stripes. Irma is very independent and doesn't like to be held but Ethel is a little teddy bear who loves to cuddle with the other chicks, humans and even two of our fluffiest cats!!

 

[chuckachucka]

Irma looks up to a week older than Ethel. I would say Irma is two weeks old, Ethel is around a week old. Too young to tell gender (although if i had to guess i would peg Irma for a roo) but they look the same breed.

 

[chuckachucka]

Oh I was basing age on the amount of feathering. They must be a little slower to feather in than the chicks I've had recently. Still I would say Irma is definitely a little bit older because of the tail feathers and the feathers growing on the top of the wings, plus the bigger size.

The gender guess is just a hunch based on the bigger comb, but I'm paranoid about larger combs in very young chicks! I hope I'm wrong because they make a very cute pair of sisters.

 

[rosemarythyme]

With Welsummers it'll be very obvious soon if one is male. Watch the chest feathers as they come in - if it's salmon, it's female. Black, it's male.

Also sexing isn't 100% accurate so even if the store only sells female chicks there'll still be some males that make it in.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

These are my two Welsummers (I think) (on the left). The one on the far left (Becky) I'm very concerned is a roo. Right now I'm hoping that Becky & Baby will stay as sisters as well. We've had them 5 weeks this weekend. I will be very sad if we go from four to three. My son got quite upset when I mentioned she may be a he and we wouldn't be able to keep it. When I got them (at just a few days old) one had a solid dark brown head with the blond stripes along the back (Becky) and Baby has blond stripes on side of head with dark brown top, now you can barely see the blond on Baby's face.View attachment 1341269 View attachment 1341269

None of the birds shown are welsummers

 

[ChickieChickieMama]

Irma looks up to a week older than Ethel. I would say Irma is two weeks old, Ethel is around a week old. Too young to tell gender (although if i had to guess i would peg Irma for a roo) but they look the same breed.

They're both a minimum of two weeks old. I've had them for exactly Ten days myself and the store had them for a minimum of three days (when they got their shipment in) and I presume they were at least a day old when they got them. So, minimum of 14 days old for both of them. The store gets shipments every week on the same day, so it's possible that Irma was leftover stock from the week before and they just didn't tell me. They were only supposed to be females in the store, but you think it's possible they mixed up?

I got some assorted bantams at the same time (separate brooder bin though) and Ethel seems to be similarly developed. Irma seems similar to my cochin I got the same time, who was mixed in with the bantam bin...haha but who was definitely not a bantam! She's enormous!

 

[ChickieChickieMama]

Irma looks up to a week older than Ethel. I would say Irma is two weeks old, Ethel is around a week old. Too young to tell gender (although if i had to guess i would peg Irma for a roo) but they look the same breed.

Out of curiosity, what makes you think she's a roo? I'm still learning so I'd love any tips! Is it because of the more pronounced comb? More muscular build? From what I've read, female Welsummers have a darker stripe and darker "eyeliner" and Irma is the darker of the two....I know, I know...just wait a few weeks!

 

[ChickieChickieMama]

Oh I was basing age on the amount of feathering. They must be a little slower to feather in than the chicks I've had recently. Still I would say Irma is definitely a little bit older because of the tail feathers and the feathers growing on the top of the wings, plus the bigger size.

The gender guess is just a hunch based on the bigger comb, but I'm paranoid about larger combs in very young chicks! I hope I'm wrong because they make a very cute pair of sisters.

Haha I'm paranoid about my girls actually being boys too! As it is I'm already suspicious of one of my bantams! Not to mention Irma would likely make for a mean roo...she's the least friendly of my flock, though she's coming around.

Today almost all of my birds seem to have woken up with tail feathers...except Ethel! ‍

 

[ChickieChickieMama]

I read on another thread that roos tend to get their feathers in much slower than hens...but I don't know what's going on with this two...haha the difference between them is major now! I think for sure Irma is much older than Ethel, but maybe Irma is a roo too? She really likes to crane her neck up and stands much more upright than any of my other chicks...and her comb is larger than any of theirs too...but maybe that's all because she's older? Here's a new pic I snapped today (It looks really weird because I fiddled with all the levels so you can see their markings better....these two are hard to photograph together!)

 

[FerreiraFamily]

These are my two Welsummers (I think) (on the left). The one on the far left (Becky) I'm very concerned is a roo. Right now I'm hoping that Becky & Baby will stay as sisters as well. We've had them 5 weeks this weekend. I will be very sad if we go from four to three. My son got quite upset when I mentioned she may be a he and we wouldn't be able to keep it. When I got them (at just a few days old) one had a solid dark brown head with the blond stripes along the back (Becky) and Baby has blond stripes on side of head with dark brown top, now you can barely see the blond on Baby's face.