# Pullet or not?



## NicholsGunter20 (Jun 17, 2021)

Good Morning everyone.. Hope all is going well!! I've been meaning to get back with updated pics of my girls but work has made it crazy to do much of anything.. I have two that I have been questioning though on whether they are girls or Roosters. They definitely rule the coop and are the only 2 that run to peck you when you come in and are just pains lol. My other girls are such sweethearts though. Thank you all for your help.


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## imnukensc (Dec 5, 2020)

Look like pullets to me.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

@imnukensc, I thought the same thing then I saw how light that barred bird is. Am I confusing breeds here?

Nicholas, you know who the two boss birds are.


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## NicholsGunter20 (Jun 17, 2021)

robin416 said:


> @imnukensc, I thought the same thing then I saw how light that barred bird is. Am I confusing breeds here?
> 
> Nicholas, you know who the two boss birds are.


They are definitely the bosses lol. Out of the 4 Barred Rocks we have, 3 are lighter chested like that and then 1 is darker chested.. The one pictured though just doesn't look like the rest. Ill see if I can get pictures of them all together.


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## ChickenBiscuts (May 28, 2021)

Looks like pullets. How old is the second one? I may possibly be seeing wing bars.


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## NicholsGunter20 (Jun 17, 2021)

ChickenBiscuts said:


> Looks like pullets. How old is the second one? I may possibly be seeing wing bars.



They are all 19 weeks almost 20 weeks old.0


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## ChickenBiscuts (May 28, 2021)

robin416 said:


> @imnukensc, I thought the same thing then I saw how light that barred bird is. Am I confusing breeds here?
> 
> Nicholas, you know who the two boss birds are.


It's not light due to double barring. These "barred rocks" have been popping up everywhere. Hatcheries have been popping them out like wildfire. Everyone I have seen like that has been female.


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## ChickenBiscuts (May 28, 2021)

NicholsGunter20 said:


> They are all 19 weeks almost 20 weeks old.0


Definitely pullets then.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

All pullets.


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## ChickenBiscuts (May 28, 2021)

ChickenBiscuts said:


> It's not light due to double barring. These "barred rocks" have been popping up everywhere. Hatcheries have been popping them out like wildfire. Everyone I have seen like that has been female.


The reason males are lighter in barred varieties in other birds such as in barred bantam cochins and barred plymouth rocks, is due to males carrying two copies of the barring gene. Barring is carried on the Z sex chromosome so because males have two Z chromozomes they can carry 0-2 barring genes. Female have one Z chromosome, so can pnly carry 0-1. The barring gene is a restrictor gene. It restricts eumelanin (black pigment) to stripes.

It restricts the pigment depositing on and off while the feathers grows. Having too copies of the barring gene restricts the eumelanin for longer, creating wider white bars, leading males to appear lighter.

However that is not the case with this bird. It is lighter and has more white but not due to being double barred. It is female so couldn't even be double barred due to only have one Z chromosome. There have been other genes thrown into the gene pool with these "barred rocks" that barred plymouth rocks should not have. There is some speculation to what birds have gotten mixed in, but I'm not sure. They are becoming more common in more and more hatcheries.


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## Chick named small fri (Aug 8, 2021)

Well i would say that there girls and the white on is probably a Plymouth rock and i don't know about the orange one


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## NicholsGunter20 (Jun 17, 2021)

Chick named small fri said:


> Well i would say that there girls and the white on is probably a Plymouth rock and i don't know about the orange one



We believe the orange one is a New Hampshire. Well that's what she was suppose to be we bought her...


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## Chick named small fri (Aug 8, 2021)

NicholsGunter20 said:


> We believe the orange one is a New Hampshire. Well that's what she was suppose to be we bought her...


So yeah mabe


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

ChickenBiscuts said:


> The reason males are lighter in barred varieties in other birds such as in barred bantam cochins and barred plymouth rocks, is due to males carrying two copies of the barring gene. Barring is carried on the Z sex chromosome so because males have two Z chromozomes they can carry 0-2 barring genes. Female have one Z chromosome, so can pnly carry 0-1. The barring gene is a restrictor gene. It restricts eumelanin (black pigment) to stripes.
> 
> It restricts the pigment depositing on and off while the feathers grows. Having too copies of the barring gene restricts the eumelanin for longer, creating wider white bars, leading males to appear lighter.
> 
> However that is not the case with this bird. It is lighter and has more white but not due to being double barred. It is female so couldn't even be double barred due to only have one Z chromosome. There have been other genes thrown into the gene pool with these "barred rocks" that barred plymouth rocks should not have. There is some speculation to what birds have gotten mixed in, but I'm not sure. They are becoming more common in more and more hatcheries.


I remember you mentioning they've been popping up now. They are actually pretty, it would nice to know who did what.


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## HSJ07 (Aug 25, 2020)

robin416 said:


> I remember you mentioning they've been popping up now. They are actually pretty, it would nice to know who did what.


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## HSJ07 (Aug 25, 2020)




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## HSJ07 (Aug 25, 2020)

This Americauna( maybe EE) is 6 weeks old today. The other 3 have tail feathers but this one does not. Starting today she/he is trying to boss the others. Do you think this is a rooster? I do hope not.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

What does the comb look like? Boys have three rows of peas for a comb. Girls are a single row.

Sometimes girls can be quite bossy too so don't let that guide you.


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## LightSussexLady (May 28, 2021)

I always look at the comb and wattles, definitely pullets.


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## imnukensc (Dec 5, 2020)

HSJ07 said:


> View attachment 42039


That's a cockerel.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Oh crap. It's the red on the wings, isn't it?


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## imnukensc (Dec 5, 2020)

robin416 said:


> Oh crap. It's the red on the wings, isn't it?


Yep. That, the slow growing tail feathers, and the OP's description of the "attitude." See if you can pick out the cockerel in this photo.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Far left?


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## imnukensc (Dec 5, 2020)

Yep.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Another teaching moment. Thanks.


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## Animals45 (May 11, 2021)

No way they are cockerels. Both beautiful pullets! Not sure if the barred one is a Barred Rock.


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