# Puzzled: 2 sisters or a brother & sister?



## Jill-Marie (Aug 14, 2018)

Hi Everyone, I live in Portugal and I'm new to this group, as well as new to chickens. I adopted 2 young chicks when they were 6 weeks old. They both looked the same when I got them, but now that they are 3 months old I've noticed one of them looks different. They were hatched from the same batch, but there was more than one black chicken there so could have different mothers. Their combs are just starting to come out and one of the chicks, named Olive, has a black comb. The other chick, named Shadow, also has a black comb but with a tiny beige/pink bit at the top. Shadow also has longer legs and likes to peck my feet. Sometimes Shadow's cheeks/ears and the line where the wattle will be, can look a bit reddish in the sun. But mostly stays a pinky-beige colour. It's somewhat of a puzzler to me, because Shadow's tail is rounded just like Olives. I don't see any pointy feathers on either of these. Olive always holds her tail high up, but with Shadow it's only sometimes up. With a previous flock of 4, I was able to tell straight away at 3 months old that 2 of them were cockerels. But this is way different. Can anyone tell by the photos if one of these 3 month old chicks could be a cockerel?

This photo is of both together, Shadow left, Olive right.. 









This next one is Olive..









And a photo of Shadow..









..I could just wait and see, but it's driving me nuts 
Many thanks, Jill-Marie  x


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## Jill-Marie (Aug 14, 2018)

I forgot to mention, there's also one or two specs of brown on the hackle feathers of Shadow. Can a chicken turn out to be a rooster even if it has rounded feathers? Or are they always pointy? thanks


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## Steinwand (Sep 23, 2017)

Very pretty! I think they are both pullets


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## Sylie (May 4, 2018)

They are both really pretty, I am leaning toward both being pullets also but the pictures are a little bit too fuzzy to see the general markers. They are too young for pointed hackles yet and obviously too young for wattles but, you should be seeing larger wattle "buds" on a male than on the female. Also, the comb of a male should be pretty easy to tell. There are always exceptions and I never count my hens until they lay an egg. But if I had to guess at gun point, I'd say both are pullets. If there is any way you could get closer, clearer pics, that might help. 

Thanks for joining and Welcome!


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## Jill-Marie (Aug 14, 2018)

Thank you both Sylie and Steinwand, for your replies. I agree the pictures aren't very good, I took loads but each time I clicked they set off again. I will try for some better ones today. I'm really hoping they are pullets  x


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## Shorty22366 (Jun 25, 2018)

I think pullets also.


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## Jill-Marie (Aug 14, 2018)

It's good to know, thanks for all your replies. 9 days later and Shadow's legs are even longer! Still no red combs though


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