What sex are these three young chickens?

[chirpnshine]

Hello, BackYard Chickens! This is my first post, so let me know if you need any other info from me-- I'd be happy to supply it!

I got three chicks (I was told they were about one week old) from my local farm supply store this fall. I was told they were a blue Cochin, a Rhode Island Red and a meat chicken, allegedly all the same age. After doing some reading, I saw Cochins have leg feathers which this chicken does not so I am thinking maybe its a Plymouth Rock but I'd love input. The meat chicken is maybe a Cornish, but likewise I'd like your knowledgeable opinions.

Here are the chicks at two weeks old




The Rhode Island Red at now (at 11 weeks)





The barred bird




And the meat chicken



Please pardon the mud (we've had nonstop rain this week) and thanks in advance for any help!

Mac

 

[the1913trio]

So your supposed "blue cochin" looks JUST like my cuckoo marans did as two week olds and how they look now at close to the same age as your chickens. I purchased the cuckoo marans from Stromberg's hatchery. Due to the barring on the black and white chick you have I really think it is a cuckoo maran or another breed that has similar barring of the feathers (like a barred rock or Dominique). No way homie is a blue cochin!!

Anywhom on to the genders of each chicken:

1.) I can't say for sure on the RIR. We had some broiler RIR hybrid meat birds and they all seemed to grow darker combs and wattles very young. The females just had slightly smaller combs that looked more pink/magenta than red. It is often much easier to tell gender when you have at least a couple of each breed from the same breeder as comparison since there is natural variation in development within a breed depending upon where they come from. This guy has more red in the comb and wattle, but it isn't a huge super pronounced comb or wattle..so I am thinking you have a chance that maybe this is still a girl....but the legs are longer/thicker with bigger feet more like roos tend to have as teenagers like this. My other boy concern with this one is the longer tail feathers and the neck feathers (sickle they are called I believe) look pointy at the ends. In girls they are still narrow feathers, but round at the end instead of point more sharply.

***I have found that watching behavior is SUPER helpful and pretty much doesn't lie 99% of the time. If any of these chicks were pretty agreeable to being picked up, and more lovey/excited to see you then all of a sudden (at 4-6 weeks) got more skittish and not into being touched or handled, and begins to start fights with the other flock members and ruffles up its neck feathers....its a boy. The boys at 11 weeks of age (if not already doing that awful SCREECH!!! practice crowing, have a deeper sounding churtle too and don't tend to make as soft of noises as the girls). ****

2.) Barred chick (supposed blue cochin, but really barred rock, cuckoo maran etc) - I think this one is a girl. Mainly yellow comb, not as defined/large comb, minimal wattle-age, more rounded body, and smaller feet/legs proportionately. Rounded, shorter bum feathers.

3.) Meat bird- Think this one is a boy. Our hybrid meaties did all have developed comb and wattles at a younger age than our regular chicks, but since this chick of yours has very red coloring, and the wattles are on the bigger side it looks more boy. Also the big, thick head and ginormo feet (although always bigger on meaties), seems to be more masculine even for a meatie.

***So how is everyone behaving/acting? Lots of cantankerous fighting going on? Odd screeching noises occurring occasionally? Or just cheeps/bocs? That will help you narrow things down A TON.

Don't be surprised if you do have two boys and a girl. We hatched out some eggs early in summer and had 4 boys and 1 girl...so that is why we got a batch of some hatchery girls towards the fall so the one girl wouldn't be going through winter all lonesome. Out of our sexed pullets from the hatchery (10 sexed pullets), 2 more were roos as well. Lets just say we have been eating lots of chicken this past late summer and fall because we live in the city...

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Of the 2 week olds, I think the white one is a roo...still too early to tell....but that is substantial comb growth, however dependent upon the breed, that could be okay. Rocks can develop some comb bud and still be female...if it grows bigger and starts turning pink/red within the next couple of weeks, almost certainly roo.

RIR, at 11 weeks, I think that is a pullet...a rooster would have a LOT more comb and wattles at this age....and while a bit of pink, and a bit of wattle, that just doesn't scream roo as most of them do by 11 weeks, and commercial reds develop pretty fast as hens...give that one time before you call it.

Barred....Hard to see in the photos for sure, but that looks like it could be a rose comb. So a Dominique (although wrong leg color...but feed store breeds are hardly SOP). I think that is a pullet as well.

Meat bird...I don't raise meat birds, so my eye isn't developed, and they grow so quickly it skews my sense of timing...but I think that likely a pullet, even with the funky tail feather, because the roosters would have a lot more comb at this stage....but I could go either way.

Anyway, my 2 cents.
Lady of McCamley


BTW....

 

[donrae]

The red bird is a pullet.

The barred bird is a Dominique pullet.

The white bird...I was sure thinking Cornish cross from the young pics, but just aren't sure unless you're really restricting feed and free ranging a lot. I've raised a few CX to 12 weeks and they were much, much larger than this, like 11-13 lbs live weight. I do think it's a pullet, as I remember my cockerels getting much larger, redder combs early, but I'm not positive on gender.

 

[Michael OShay]

The red bird is a pullet.

The barred bird is a Dominique pullet.

The white bird...I was sure thinking Cornish cross from the young pics, but just aren't sure unless you're really restricting feed and free ranging a lot. I've raised a few CX to 12 weeks and they were much, much larger than this, like 11-13 lbs live weight. I do think it's a pullet, as I remember my cockerels getting much larger, redder combs early, but I'm not positive on gender.

Agreed.

 

[BantamLover21]

The red bird is a Production Red (hatchery quality Rhode Island Red) pullet. The black/white bird is a Dominique pullet. Your white bird looks more like a Plymouth Rock than a Cornish cross meat chicken to me, and I'm thinking pullet on it.

 

[Wyandottes7]

The red bird is a Production Red (hatchery quality Rhode Island Red) pullet. The black/white bird is a Dominique pullet. Your white bird looks more like a Plymouth Rock than a Cornish cross meat chicken to me, and I'm thinking pullet on it.

Agreed.

 

[chirpnshine]

Ooh thanks for the great info and input, guys! There IS a bit of squabbling but I read that even pullets will do that at this age to sort out their status? It usually seems to be between the red and barred birds. I have restricted their feed so at night they only have fresh water.

They are all very friendly and investigative since I've handled them a lot. I haven't heard any awful noises yet, but I am hearing loud noises so maybe they will develop into a crow! We'll have to wait and see...

 

[purplesquirrel]

2 female, white one looks like a guy.x

 

[purplesquirrel]

Barred one is a Plymouth/barred rock