# Help Please



## Keltucker (Feb 27, 2021)

We are new to chickens! We were told that these are all pullets but now I am thinking they are Cockrells. What do you think?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

How old?


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## Keltucker (Feb 27, 2021)

robin416 said:


> How old?


Around 5-6 months old


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

Keltucker said:


> Around 5-6 months old


Welcome to the forum! You should know pretty soon. Is anyone crowing or attempting to crow?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

What I'm not seeing is the red combs of males. Usually they redden up quite a bit earlier than the females. 

And what PJ said. At that age someone should be studying his crow abilities.


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## Keltucker (Feb 27, 2021)

Poultry Judge said:


> Welcome to the forum! You should know pretty soon. Is anyone crowing or attempting to crow?


N


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## Keltucker (Feb 27, 2021)

None of them have been crowing at all! That is why I am.holfing out hope.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Are you not allowed to have roosters? 

They are rather fun to have around when they like humans.


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## Keltucker (Feb 27, 2021)

Thanks for the welcome! None are crowing.


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## Keltucker (Feb 27, 2021)

robin416 said:


> Are you not allowed to have roosters?
> 
> They are rather fun to have around when they like humans.


We can have roosters but we definitely want hens.


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## imnukensc (Dec 5, 2020)

The only one(s) that I see that is suspect is the first one. (Same bird in the second pic?) Appears to have some pointy saddle feathers, pointy/longish hackles, and spurs starting to grow.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I missed that in the second pic with the saddle feathers.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

For the best luck in sexing post profile pictures that show the head and saddle area clearly. As mentioned picture1 is likely a cockerel. The two in the second picture on the right/back are questionable; the black and silver. From what I can see the rest are pullets. If you are going to free range a rooster will warn and protect the hens from predators. A rooster's warning calls will save the hens numerous times and he is well worth the feed he eats-just one!


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

danathome said:


> For the best luck in sexing post profile pictures that show the head and saddle area clearly. As mentioned picture1 is likely a cockerel. The two in the second picture on the right/back are questionable; the black and silver. From what I can see the rest are pullets. If you are going to free range a rooster will warn and protect the hens from predators. A rooster's warning calls will save the hens numerous times and he is well worth the feed he eats-just one!


What Dan said, profile pics are always useful.


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## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

What they said- our boys have turned out to be our favorite members of our flocks! Albeit too many, and I have had to give several away already- but they’re sweet and fun too. 
Those big feet on the first one, with the comb starting to stick up like that- maybe a roo! But then, you would likely have started hearing some crowing attempts by now so you may be ok. Good luck! I can see why you’re on the fence.


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## Coop Control (Mar 3, 2021)

Keltucker said:


> We are new to chickens! We were told that these are all pullets but now I am thinking they are Cockrells. What do you think?
> View attachment 40261
> View attachment 40262
> View attachment 40263
> ...


If they have pointed saddle feathers they are male. These look like cocks.


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## Animals45 (May 11, 2021)

They all appear to be cockerels, except maybe last, I'm even seeing saddle feathers on last one to so maybe all cockerels.. Where did you get them? If you got them from a feed store and the worker says they are pullets it's probably not true... I Got mine from from a feed store and they were sexing them by their wings and said they were all pullets and I appear to have 2 cockerels, they also said my other chick was a small bantam turns out it's a light Brahama. I'm not trying to be rude or anything else but you have to really sex them and not sex them based off wings and throw them in their box after sexing them for 2 seconds and say their pullets..


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

Animals45 said:


> They all appear to be cockerels, except maybe last, I'm even seeing saddle feathers on last one to so maybe all cockerels.. Where did you get them? If you got them from a feed store and the worker says they are pullets it's probably not true... I Got mine from from a feed store and they were sexing them by their wings and said they were all pullets and I appear to have 2 cockerels, they also said my other chick was a small bantam turns out it's a light Brahama. I'm not trying to be rude or anything else but you have to really sex them and not sex them based off wings and throw them in their box after sexing them for 2 seconds and say their pullets..


Yes, I wouldn't necessarily trust the feed store. The hatcheries are allegedly doing a little better this year, since last year was so chaotic. That's only what I'm hearing here in Ohio. I haven't purchased any hatchery birds in a while.


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## Animals45 (May 11, 2021)

Poultry Judge said:


> Yes, I wouldn't necessarily trust the feed store. The hatcheries are allegedly doing a little better this year, since last year was so chaotic. That's only what I'm hearing here in Ohio. I haven't purchased any hatchery birds in a while.


Yes, well the hatcheries sex them the right way. I have gotten chicks off hatcheries and they were all pullets, they also gave me an extra chick..


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

This past year has been really bad for getting the sexes right. We've seen multiple complaints from folks last year about how they ended up with one or more roosters and they were all supposed to be pullets.


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## imnukensc (Dec 5, 2020)

Even hatchery chicks are not always sexed correctly. Even the hatcheries will tell you that sexing a day old (or less) chick is only about 90% accurate. Once they get to your local feed and seed who knows how many out of the straight run bin get put back in with the pullets only bin.


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## Animals45 (May 11, 2021)

robin416 said:


> This past year has been really bad for getting the sexes right. We've seen multiple complaints from folks last year about how they ended up with one or more roosters and they were all supposed to be pullets.


Oh well then idk. I got mine off chickens for backyards and they always give an extra chick and all of them were pullets.
But obviously the hatcheries do better sexing them then TSC workers..


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Animals45 said:


> Oh well then idk. I got mine off chickens for backyards and they always give an extra chick and all of them were pullets.
> But obviously the hatcheries do better sexing them then TSC workers..


TSC doesn't sex the chicks. That's done by the hatchery. TSC just puts what they think is the right sign on maybe the right breeds.


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## Animals45 (May 11, 2021)

robin416 said:


> TSC doesn't sex the chicks. That's done by the hatchery. TSC just puts what they think is the right sign on maybe the right breeds.


Have you ever heard of Atwoods? They are pretty much the same as TSC. They were sexing the chicks by there wings and saying pullet as well on every one it was like he didn't grab one cockerel😂 but I definitely have at least 2 or 3 of them.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

robin416 said:


> TSC doesn't sex the chicks. That's done by the hatchery. TSC just puts what they think is the right sign on maybe the right breeds.


Ha Ha, there's probably more truth there than we know.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Animals45 said:


> Have you ever heard of Atwoods? They are pretty much the same as TSC. They were sexing the chicks by there wings and saying pullet as well on every one it was like he didn't grab one cockerel😂 but I definitely have at least 2 or 3 of them.


I only know of one breed you can wing sex and it has to be done at a certain point in development.


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