Young delaware chick looking the same as an adult?

[chickenlover89]

Both sexes would have barring on the hackle feathers. Pullets have tail black (black feathers edged in white) and cockerels have barred tail feathers. This is a 6 week old Delaware cockerel. They usually have smut down the back between the shoulders until they are older, while pullets have very little to none of that.

thank you SO much! that REALLY helps! i don't think "she" is a rooster anymore!

 

[Chris09]

here is my older 6 wk old delaware pullet (i hope)

Those legs look almost Green, If so then she isn't a Delaware.

Chris

 

[speckledhen]

Those legs look almost Green, If so then she isn't a Delaware.

Chris

Chris, many of the hatchery Delaware lines have issues with leg color. Mine are out of good heritage breeder stock and as you can see by the cockerel I posted, they have excellent leg color, but leg color, being dusky yellow rather than bright yellow, is an issue with Delawares today.

Here is a Delaware pullet about four weeks old for comparison-by the way, her legs didn't really turn yellow for a couple more weeks, strangely, but turn they did.

 

[terryg]

Yes, the large hatcheries's chicks are often not true to type. I've seen that with several breeds and from a couple of different hatcheries. You get good, useful birds, but not necessarily up to "the standard of perfection." I've had supposedly clean-legged hens with feathers. I've had a Speckled Sussex with an almost all white head. You get the picture. My Delaware doesn't match any of Speckledhen's photos!