Will I be making omlettes or stew?

[llnmaw]

13 weeks old

Those wattles and that comb are fairly substantial eh? I thought we picked right because of black barring and legs...blah..blah..blah...but geez this does not look good to me.

While I'm at it....just making sure my BO's are really girls too. They are 16-17 weeks

Only 1 image of this one...her body and tail feather look super duper henish, but her comb and wattles are quite a bit bigger than her flockmate of same age. She has that classic old lady teased out up-do of her tail....

Thoughts?

Thanks!
~L.

 

[hlf1996]

The barred rock and the last orphington look like roosters

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

I say you've got all omlette makers there, no stew pot canidates.

that barred rock, while she has the big waddles and comb, it looks like a normal hen comb to me - the many points and the trying to flop over. I see a full butt of hen saddle feathers,- are you sure shes only 13 weeks? I swear its a girl by looks alone, but I've seen very few barred rock hens look that mature at that early an age. my friend has raised some barred rock girls and boys that filled out super fast because she spoiled them rotten with alot of good food.

anyway If it were a roo you'd have very little fluff and actual saddles yet back there or alot of pointy arrow shaped saddles popping up. Also that BR has the carriage I typically see in chest heavy hens, not the sleaker muscular look I've typically noticed in cockerals that filled out.

With barred rocks you should be able to tell around 4-5 weeks old if they are male or female. by 4 weeks I tend to see HUGE orange/pink combs on the boys.


I vote girls all around the BOs are 16+ weeks, I'd expect to see way more wattle and comb development on a roo and way darker red by now too.

 

[aubreynoramarie]

Girls girls girls girls girls.

People freak when they see a comb and wattles but they gotta emerge at some point. Sometimes it's sooner than later. You've got a classic example of br pullet coloring and feathering there.

 

[spiritdance]

BR hens have larger wattles and combs than some breeds, and that looks like a hen to me (although I agree it looks older than 13 weeks; BRs are slow growers); that last chicken, though, looks suspicious to me with those pointed hackle feathers and larger comb/wattles/earlobes.

 

[llnmaw]

Pretty sure within a week or so about the BR age. She was at most a week old when we got her. Her red face/wattles and comb are really what threw me because my older BO's are still very much pink in comparison.

I'd never really considered the last orp to be a roo candidate but it's good to get confirmation from someone else. The first pictured orp seems to be doing the egg squat for me and is suddenly really interested in the coop during the day.

Seems early and I thought maybe I was just trying to convince myself she was really a she.

I'd love more opinions on the barred rock if anyone has one.

Thanks!
~L.

 

[magicpigeon]

I'm seeing hens only.

 

[llnmaw]

Quote:
Eeek! Do you think that because her neck is slightly darker than her body it just makes the hackle feathers look pointy/differentr? I'll have to get a picture of her oh so super duper hen looking bottom and then see what you think.....

 

[teeville5]

Quote:
I agree. 4 of my 9 BR pullets look like yours right now and they are 17 weeks old.

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

Quote:

the red is the feathers that appear pointy from the pictures, in both chickens, I think its just more feathers filling in. green is lacing I see in the birds' feathers more so in the questionable one but the sure pullet (#1 BO) has it there too. Purple is the feather ends i'm seeing, both rounded. I think its that laced penciling of the feather quills that is giving that bigger one a more roo-ish look....It still could be a boy, but honestly I'm still swinging pullets all around.

Quote:
I can see the backend shape some, and I agree they look alike, that same "chicken cola bottle" shape you see in the BOs and similar bodied breeds.