Who knows their RIR best? Gender Traits?

[redinator]

I have 17 RIR chicks that turn 4 weeks today. Aside from darker combs and developing wattles what other traits could help me tell the cockerels from the pullets at this age?

I'll get pictures, I just need some pointers on what to look for while I sort them out so I can leg band the suspected males.

 

[DobieLover]

You need to wait another 2 weeks. Then your accuracy rate will be much better. There are a lot of behaviors in pullets that people will say indicate it's a cockerel but it isn't.

 

[redinator]

I have two people looking to buy RIR cockerels and mine are 6 weeks old now and I tried sorting through the chicks myself, but I'm a bit confused. Would 6 week old pullets have wattles? Most seem to have them, but they aren't red or obvious yet. Some have large combs, but they aren't dark, either. Their are a few that are obviously male. I also noticed the obvious males seem to have black feathers on the neck. Is that a gender indicator in the breed?

 

[Natwest]

I have 17 RIR chicks that turn 4 weeks today. Aside from darker combs and developing wattles what other traits could help me tell the cockerels from the pullets at this age?

I'll get pictures, I just need some pointers on what to look for while I sort them out so I can leg band the suspected males.

With the experience I have the females are more colorful and the males more plain at that age

 

[Seaslug]

The pullets will have combs and wattles, but the size and color will differ from the males (female have smaller and duller combs and wattles.) Size can get you into the weeds sometimes, as some breeds and some individuals have larger combs and wattles in pullets than others. But it is pretty standard that, in general, males' will color up earlier than females' (unless you are talking Silkies and Polish...)
It can never be clear cut!

 

[redinator]

The pullets will have combs and wattles, but the size and color will differ from the males (female have smaller and duller combs and wattles.) Size can get you into the weeds sometimes, as some breeds and some individuals have larger combs and wattles in pullets than others. But it is pretty standard that, in general, males' will color up earlier than females' (unless you are talking Silkies and Polish...)
It can never be clear cut!

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

Rehome the ones with the largest combs. That will give you the most accuracy in this breed. They get combs super early. Post pictures? They’re one of the easiest breeds to sex so I’m surprised it isn’t fairly clear

 

[redinator]

Rehome the ones with the largest combs. That will give you the most accuracy in this breed. They get combs super early. Post pictures? They’re one of the easiest breeds to sex so I’m surprised it isn’t fairly clear

I've been trying to leg band just the males when I can tell they're males. The buyer kept arguing about the ones with the large dark combs not being male because "the wing shape isn't right" and "they don't have saddle feathers" and so on. He asked that I hold them "a little longer to be sure" I said that fine, but the price goes up $2 a week for feed. You can't argue with people 'that know it all'.