Wyandottes

[Morgan7782]

I took a guess and took in some BYCers opinions on these girls age. I concluded they were about 8 weeks when I got them, so they are 9-10 weeks now. I am having gender issues with one and I think the reason is my other Blue Wyandotte has a black comb. Here are pictures:

Key - Orange Comb Blue Wyandotte named Spade
Black Comb Blue Wyandotte named No Name
Lighter Colored Splash BLR Wyandotte named Jesse James
More Solid Red Splash BLR Wyandotte named Butternut

Also if they look a different age OTHER then 9-10 weeks please let me know! The 9-10 weeks is only a guess!

 

[High Roost Ranch]

Your black combed pullet is black in the comb because she carries a LOT of melanizers (black enhancement). If you look at her shank color compared to the other one, she's totally black shanked. It's frowned upon for the breed but if not selectively bred out of a line it will occur. I get it occasionally with my black Moderns and sometimes the splash too where the birds will carry black into the facial skin and comb.

The other two are cockerels. I was on the fence about the redder based splash until I saw that little lift at the back of the comb in the last photo.

 

[Morgan7782]

Will the pullet with the black comb continue to have a black comb? These girls are from Welp Hatchery I think, I was not their original owner, so not entirely sure. I was thinking 3 pullets and 1 cockerel. Spade (With the orange comb and redder wattles) I was thinking cockerel, but the two splashes and other black, or blue, ones are pullets I thought and hoped lol!

 

[High Roost Ranch]

Yes, she'll remain black in the face and comb. I do think the other blue and the red based splash are cockerels. They just look too fleshy and pink in the combs already for me. But, I could be wrong, so wait for someone else to respond. Are these large fowl? I don't have a lot of LF Wy experience, mine are all bantams. And of my bantams that looked just like yours do now in comb/wattle development, they are all cockerels at 6 months of age.

 

[Morgan7782]

Yes they are standard wyandottes. Shoot I will be dissapointed if two turn out to be cockerels. I can't have roosters where I live, wish I could. Although Spade is turning out to be a real... Butt. She/he bullies the other chicks, never letting them alone. Spade is the only one who acts like this, the other three submit pretty quickly. I don't want anybody butting heads with my Barred Rock either, and she has it out for Spade at the moment.. Hmm.. I may have to rethink some stuff..

 

[Katy]

I raise BLRWs and until recently I also raised Blue wyandottes. I'm 99.9% positive that Spade and Butternut are cockerals and the other two are pullets.

 

[slackwater]

Quote:
There is a "lift in the comb" for cockerals? I hadn't heard that before...will have to go check the ones I am unsure of tomorrow...

 

[High Roost Ranch]

Quote:
There is a "lift in the comb" for cockerals? I hadn't heard that before...will have to go check the ones I am unsure of tomorrow...

In the bottom photo, where Spade is kissing Butternut... Butternut has pointed hackle feathers and look at the back of his comb, where the blade portion would be. See the little finger lifted off the back? That's what I'm referring to. Compare that to No Name, the black combed pullet. Nothing similar.

 

[Morgan7782]

Thanks all for the input I will just have to wait and see

If anybody else has any tips let me know. Katy, do you think they are 9-10 weeks old?

 

[jossanne]

Never had blue wyandottes til now, and mine are 10 weeks old. They look a lot like yours. One has a really pink comb, and the others have blackish-blue right now. I have had black australorps and black minorcas who had black combs until just before point-of-lay, and then their combs turned red. I have been assuming that my blue wyandottes combs would do the same.