Where are my Partridge Rock Experts?! What sex am I?

[MagpieDucks]

@pipdzipdnreadytogo

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Smaller and slower to feather tells me it's an individual thing, whether failure to thrive or something genetic, not a breed thing. I had a Speckled Sussex do the same thing and she turned out just to be a smaller-bodied bird compared to her sister of the same breed. (She also lived to be just under 7 years old, so I wouldn't worry about longevity if that is the case with your bird. )

It sounds like you know what to look for as far as patterning for a male. Just as something for you to use as a comparison as your baby grows, since all of my PRs' pictures at one month old are truly terrible (but it was 7 years ago and I had no idea what I was doing with that camera ), here is a 6-week picture of Fancy, one of my hens. Note that she's mostly just brown overall. Black or darker chests usually indicate male in this variety. By 6 weeks, it *should* be evident, I would think, though that may be delayed if your bird is developmentally behind still at that point.

I do have a hand full more pictures I can post as well if you'd like more comparison pictures, but they're on Photobucket, so I'll need to download them and upload directly to BYC. Hope that helps, either way!

 

[mrskenmore]

Smaller and slower to feather tells me it's an individual thing, whether failure to thrive or something genetic, not a breed thing. I had a Speckled Sussex do the same thing and she turned out just to be a smaller-bodied bird compared to her sister of the same breed. (She also lived to be just under 7 years old, so I wouldn't worry about longevity if that is the case with your bird. )

It sounds like you know what to look for as far as patterning for a male. Just as something for you to use as a comparison as your baby grows, since all of my PRs' pictures at one month old are truly terrible (but it was 7 years ago and I had no idea what I was doing with that camera ), here is a 6-week picture of Fancy, one of my hens. Note that she's mostly just brown overall. Black or darker chests usually indicate male in this variety. By 6 weeks, it *should* be evident, I would think, though that may be delayed if your bird is developmentally behind still at that point.

View attachment 1809136

I do have a hand full more pictures I can post as well if you'd like more comparison pictures, but they're on Photobucket, so I'll need to download them and upload directly to BYC. Hope that helps, either way!

Thank you Pipd!

This is very helpful- if you could, for my edification and for the learning of this thread for future PR owners upload the progress of your chick that would be SUPER HELPFUL and I would appreciate it very much. It has been difficult to tell since she is so slow growing and smaller. Which I am fine with as long as she is healthy and happy since she will be an egg laying pet that gets to live out her life with us! As mentioned I will continue to upload photos over the upcoming weeks as hopefully it will continue to be more evident. You bring up a good point though that since she was always behind that the 6 month milestone could be behind as well.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

the 6 month milestone

Just to be clear, it was 6 weeks, not 6 months. Give me a bit to download them off of Photobucket and I'll get them posted ASAP.

 

[mrskenmore]

Just to be clear, it was 6 weeks, not 6 months. Give me a bit to download them off of Photobucket and I'll get them posted ASAP.

lol- yes I meant to write 6 weeks! Thanks for clarifying that and thank you for getting the photos for me- not many out there in terms of partridge rocks in their chick/early stages and I really appreciate it!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Pullet. Dark wash on legs, small legs.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Okay, I pulled the ones that best showed her color. It looks like it wasn't until she was about 6 weeks old that I actually figured out how to get a good picture of her, though. Starting at ~2.5 weeks, then 4 weeks, 5 weeks, 6 weeks, and 7 weeks:




From this point on, these are monthly pictures, starting at 2 months and ending at her first birthday (apparently, though, she was busy in the nest at 8 months, so that's the best pic I have of her then ).




She's 7 years old today, actually, now that I'm looking at dates! Here's a recent picture:

And just to show the delayed development of that Speckled Sussex I was talking about, here is Fancy, a normal 6 week old (on the right) next to the SS at the same age. The SS ended up being smaller throughout her life, but the first to lay out of that group, so she definitely was a tough little lady.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Pullet. Dark wash on legs, small legs.

This is good to know! I always thought the dark wash on the legs only worked for the Barred variety.

 

[mrskenmore]

Thank you so much Pipd!

This is so incredibly helpful to all the partridge rock newbies out there! Fancy is beautiful! Please wish her a very happy birthday from me and Olivia Jade! I am hopeful now that maybe she is a she and I will just have to wait and see for all of her beauty to grow in! I really appreciate the trouble that you went through to upload these for all to admire her beauty and help with the sexing of this breed in the future!

Thank you!! Will keep you all posted on Olivia Jade and her sex!

 

[mrskenmore]

Pullet. Dark wash on legs, small legs.

That is good to know! Thank you!