Why the difference in chick combs?

[festivefeet]

I have two chicks of each breed that we chose (six in all).

With some of the breeds that we chose the combs seem to look different within the same breed. Is there a reason for this? You will see in the photos above that the two Silver-Laced Wyandotte's have completely different looking combs.

What is the likelihood that I will end up with roosters when I was supposed to have received sexed pullets? Our chicks came from Townline Hatchery in Zeeland, MI.

When do you know if you have a rooster or hen for sure?

When do roosters and hens start clucking and "cock-a-doodle-doing"?

Thanks.
Jessica

 

[Guitartists]

Single combs in Wyandottes is a recessive gene. A lot of breeders keep some single combed birds because it is said that their fertility is higher.

edited to add... my pullets from Townline are looking pretty good so far exceot for one EE that I think is a sneaky cockerel

Any hatchery only has like a 90% accuracy.

You might be able to tell after 8 weeks depending on breed, but usually you will have to wait until around 4 months or later. Pointy saddle feathers are what I look for now because some other things can be deceiving

 

[DTchickens]

i believe wyandottes can throw both single (or straight?... i get them confused) combs and rosecombs, but the rosecombs are the desired and the single combs are considered "Defects".. (i've never owned or researched much into them though. so i could very well be wrong)

as for the rooster>hen ratio... It depends some on genetics.. what else? I can't remember right now so someone will have to come along and finish.. or correct me.

As for the rooster vs hens... Roosters, big feet/shanks at birth, you can hold them upside down by their legs, roosters stretch out, hens curl up.. also by their necks (grab the fuzz on the back). But this is old and im not sure how well it works... Some breeds can be sexed by wing feathers, other by color, theres a lot of threads on this you could probably find by searching.