What gender

[varolinelee001]

Hi, I have a chick (we think sussex-blue maran-RIR cross) that was hatched 3 Dec 2021 - so 9/10 weeks old. This is the first time I am raising this sort of chick and I think the desire for it to be a hen ie clouding my judgement.

Hoping for objective eyes to help determine if it is a him or her.

Thank you very much!

 

[T-R-O-U-B-L-E]

I'm not sure. Thinking he? I'm really bad at this though. @TheOddOneOut @Little Baby Bean

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Can you get clearer wing/back/shoulder pics?

 

[varolinelee001]

Thanks for all your replies so far!

Is this wing/back/shoulder picture good enough?

 

[chickengr]

at that age boys usually have red wattles and bigger pink combs.. so 99% girl - my opinion.

 

[Painted Calls]

Pullet.

 

[varolinelee001]

Thank you all for taking the time to look at the photos, and sharing your experience and opinions!

I saw that the comb and wattles were smaller, but was distracted by the neck feathering. I thought that sort of neck feathering/patterning was found in cockerels.

 

[T-R-O-U-B-L-E]

Thank you all for taking the time to look at the photos, and sharing your experience and opinions!

I saw that the comb and wattles were smaller, but was distracted by the neck feathering. I thought that sort of neck feathering/patterning was found in cockerels.

It is not so much the color, not to say there arent breeds that you can tell sex by the color of hackles, but it is the shape. If the neck feathers, or hackles, are pointy and long that is a male trait. If the feathers behind the tail, or saddles, are pointy and long that is also a male trait.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Agree with other posters that this pretty chick is a female.

 

[Painted Calls]

There are male specific patterns and there are female specific patterns. There are also sexually dimorphic breeds.

There are also male specific traits, such as pointed saddles and wing patches (dark or red wash of color over the wing bows). Hackles can sometimes be an indicator, but a lot of people look at laced or patterend hackles and think they look pointed - nothing more than an optical illusion. A lot of pullets have funky hackles too. I never look at hackles when sexing chicks. Ever.

Male specific saddles don't typically come in until around 12+ weeks. Your bird isn't really old enough to immediately go off of those. Instead you go by comb and wattles development and male specific color leakage. Your bird has a small, pale comb and virtually no wattles. There is a bit of funky color on the wing bows, but nothing that looks male specific.