What Gender Are My Chicks?

[IndigoChicken12]

My chicks are now about 6 weeks old, and I was wondering if you guys could help me identify the genders. I really hope that I don't have any roosters, but I know that's unlikely. Sorry for the bad photos, but chickens are hard to photograph! If you need more pics, just ask. And also, both the EE and PR have a large bump of longer feathers on the tops of their backs that are longer than others. Thanks!


Clover BR








Luna SLW






Ivy Australorp








June PR






Fern EE

 

[Kelsie2290]

Unfortunately, with the combs and red coming in on the wattles, the first bird, the barred one and the SLW?, both look like roos. The pictures of the black bird are fuzzy and I can't really see it well but what I can see looks suspicious. I think the fourth looks like a girl. The EE.the pictures are fuzzy, but the color looks female. You might want to get side shots of the black and the EE.

 

[popsicle]

Full body shots of the Barred Rock and Wyandotte would be helpful--not being held. The coloring of the BR makes me wonder if it's actually a Black Sex Link cockerel.

 

[chickita12]

I think the first looks very much like a roo!

 

[cafarmgirl]

Bird #1 and #2 are suspect. I believe the rest are pullets. But that first bird... hmmm. If it is a barred rock, leg and body coloring are hen, but that's a lot of color and wattle development for a 6 week old pullet to be showing. But then I've had pullets now and then who I was sure were roo's because of early development and color in the comb/wattles who turned out to be hens. Sometimes you just have to wait and see.

 

[IndigoChicken12]

Thanks for all of your input! I'll try to get more pictures soon, if I can get them to hold still... I'm all most positive the first chicken is a barred rock, it came from a hatchery.

 

[IndigoChicken12]

I also wanted to ask something. I've been noticing some feathers around the brooder, but I haven't noticed any feather picking. Should I be worried?

 

[popsicle]

The reason I wondered if the barred one was a Black Sex Link Cockerel is because there seems to be a mix of feminine and masculine features--the legs, beak and body color are dark, like pullets, yet the comb seems to be fairly developed for the age. However, those indicators are never 100% and usually you have to wait for crowing and pointy feathers, or eggs. The SLW should be obvious before too long--solid white patches on shoulders would indicate cockerel. EEs are a mixed bunch--there's a really great, long thread about Easter Egger sexing that may be helpful.

I wouldn't worry too much about feathers around the coop--especially if there doesn't seem to be any signs of feather picking or bald patches on the birds.

 

[IndigoChicken12]

Thanks popsicle.

 

[Wyandottes7]

My chicks are now about 6 weeks old, and I was wondering if you guys could help me identify the genders. I really hope that I don't have any roosters, but I know that's unlikely. Sorry for the bad photos, but chickens are hard to photograph! If you need more pics, just ask. And also, both the EE and PR have a large bump of longer feathers on the tops of their backs that are longer than others. Thanks!


Clover BR
Rooster; the red wattles and comb give it a way. Sorry! And, are you sure that it is a Barred Rock? The irregular barring an the whiter/grey legs make it look more like a Cuckoo Marans.







Luna SLW
Nothing is screaming rooster, so I'm going to go with pullet.




Ivy Australorp


Pullet.





June PR
Pullet.





Fern EE
Pullet. Very pretty! I love Ester Eggers.