# Probably too soon but sex?



## princesscleo92 (Apr 23, 2016)

We've been raising a golden laced wyandotte and I'm thinking a barred rock or black sex link they are about 5 weeks old. One of these babies started crowing this morning. Thinking it's the barred and praying they both aren't cockerels. Neither of them have extremely red combs but the wattles on the Wyandotte are very red.

Thank you in advance!


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## WeeLittleChicken (Aug 31, 2012)

Your Barred Rock has a lot of white on it suggesting it's male.... (females have more black.) Not to mention those enormous feet! 

Sorry I don't know anything about Wyandottes. Someone else will have to make that guess.


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

5 week old Black Sex Link roo from Townline.


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

4 1/2 week old Roo, from BSL Roo above and a Silver Laced Wyandotte hen.


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

Can you post a close up of the face?


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

The BR looks like a roo.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Nm156 said:


> 5 week old Black Sex Link roo from Townline.


Black sex-links are barred?


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

seminolewind said:


> Black sex-links are barred?


BSL -- RIR Roo x Barred Rock hen. Males have some barring.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

He's a handsome guy. Very nice colors.


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## princesscleo92 (Apr 23, 2016)

Thank you for all your help these last few months! I have a feeling they are both Roos considering the size of the BR and the comb and wattles of the Wyandotte is starting to look just like the one Nm156 posted. We will just have to wait a little longer and see. But here is an updated picture on our other babies thank you for all your help on sexing and trying to figure out breeds. Still can't figure out what the brown guy is but this is their favorite hangout spot in the yard.


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## TheKeeper777 (Mar 30, 2016)

They look like they are both roos


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## princesscleo92 (Apr 23, 2016)

Update: They are about 9 weeks old. Help determining sex? Thanks so much!


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## WeeLittleChicken (Aug 31, 2012)

Second one appears to be a hen by comb, which is weird considering all the white... but I would think by now it'd have a rooster comb unless it's a really slow to mature! I think the first one is a hen too but I'm terrible at sexing that kind of comb so I could be wrong... but her tail feathers are straight and she doesn't appear to be growing saddle or hackle feathers... so I still guess two hens. Pretty birds!


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

The BR isn't that white,and as i was rudely pointed out on BYC that all bets are off when dealing with "hatchery" birds.


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## WeeLittleChicken (Aug 31, 2012)

LoL - well, being hatchery stock doesn't change the principle of the genes. I mean breeders can decide to exaggerate or mute colors but the colors are still going to be the same at their base. It might just be she's feathering out a bit oddly. Maybe she'll get darker with time. I have had birds do that before. 

Don't let anyone give you any snark for having hatchery birds. They're no different than show stock except for the reasons they were bred. Hatchery stock usually focuses on egg production, show stock focuses more on aesthetic appeal (hopefully with concern for health and temperament too but I have no always found this to be the case!)


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

Clarification - I wasn't giving snark about hatchery birds.All my chickens are "hatchery" birds and i won't ever buy an SOP bird.
Meyer hatchery BR pullet,she is now 2 and has has been laying eggs for 1 1/2 years.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Come on you guys, won't buy an SOP bird? Health? Temperament? My oldest SOP bird is now 10 1/2 years old. As far as temperament goes, all but one are laid back and easy going. I kept the one because she was so rotten. It was a little boring having so many laid back birds so she adds a little excitement.

Oh, I have two 8 year olds still laying with one going broody. The rotten bird is still laying at 7 and going broody.


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

I'm still waiting for something new not just a rip-off from the past..
It's the attitude of the breeders that i read that turns me off..
WLC has some and that's cool...


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Those breeders are not worth knowing. Most good breeders are very willing to help when questions are asked. But like everything in life there are those that think they are all that and are not afraid of letting the world know it.


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## MikeA_15 (Feb 21, 2016)

Nm156 said:


> The BR isn't that white,and as i was rudely pointed out on BYC that all bets are off when dealing with "hatchery" birds.


You run into the same people with dogs. I've run into more of the dingbat show types more often than those involved with trials who breed for working ability and health rather than appearance. I look at what the vain have done to breeds like German Shepherds, and it's tragic.

Chicken breed clubs are great, and help to preserve a standard, with some very good breeders willing to mentor young people. Some even work with certain hatcheries. I've bought good stock and problematic stock from hatcheries. I've done the same with birds bought from a Master breeder. I've had it to where 90% of chicks were healthy and some where below 50% had good genetics.


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## MikeA_15 (Feb 21, 2016)

I forgot to mention that the book, entitled Sexing All Fowl by Loyl Stromberg, is a good source of information.


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## WeeLittleChicken (Aug 31, 2012)

Yeah, it really depends on the breeder. I shy away from "show" breeders of anything unless I have a good reference or something else to go on. People too deep in that world (be it chickens or anything else) can lose sight of the important things. At least with chickens there also seems be to be a lot of decent down to earth breeders too. I can't say the same for dogs. Lord.... when we tried to find another dog we tried to find someone breeding for health, temperament, and working ability above all else and COULD NOT find anyone! Searched for over a year, many different breeds, came up with one guy who didn't respond to us for eight months and then out of the blue announced puppies. Little late bud. Ended up giving up and getting an older rescue who we couldn't train to stop chasing the chickens (or stop whining -- if you weren't looking directly at her she'd whine ALL day, 13 hours was her record and yes she would get louder the more you ignored her and no, it wasn't because she wanted to go out, she literally just wanted permanent eye contact with the humans.) It was a disaster. Gave her eight months and many efforts before I threw in the towel and found someone place that could spend time with just her. Won't be trying a dog again... Unless it's a livestock guardian dog when we move to somewhere with more acreage in a few years... but even then I could not find any breeders, just people bitching customers don't know what they're getting into when they get these dogs. Well duh, how are they supposed to know when finding someone knowledgeable and willing to talk about the subject is like finding a unicorn?! Can't have it both ways! 

I have found the chicken world to be less uptight. Really. I mean yes, there are still nutters but it doesn't seem to be as many! Personally I am trying to breed for visual consistency but it's not my first concern. The Dorkings I am trying to breed up in size to make better meat bird and improve upon their autosexing features, the Brabanters I am trying to cull out those who seem to be dying of some sort of inherited liver disorder, the Marans for darker egg color, etc. There's always room for improvement which is why I love doing this!


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