Feeding advice for bantams (one broody, one moulting)

[hpops]

I have had this light sussex since a chick and was told at about 3 weeks he/she was a cockerel - I'm still hoping he/she is a hen but would like to know for sure - what do you think??

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2372/2114993440_0d60e1017a.jpg?v=0

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2102/2114993436_20d1f3f79e.jpg?v=0

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2151/2114993434_ff35ba0358.jpg?v=0

 

Many thanks

[Egluntyne]

How old is s/he now?

[Carol U]

Really need to see his/her legs and feet - e.g. does he/she have spurs?

[hpops]

he she's about 3 months - I'm going out now to take photos of legs and feet!!!

[hpops]

Pics of feet -

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2060/2115059654_575d2e3c4c.jpg?v=0

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2380/2115059658_2caabcb990.jpg?v=0

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2320/2115059662_6b61a1ba99.jpg?v=0

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2002/2115059666_9ea976e608.jpg?v=0

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2044/2115059674_2782b44346.jpg?v=0

[Egluntyne]

Can't decide.

 

The hackle feathers....are they pointed or rounded at the ends. Because of the colouring it isn't easy to tell from the pics.

[Snowy]

I'm no expert and am only testing myself here, but I'd venture a girl - girl shape, comb and wattles consistent with a 3 month old. Would they be more developed on a cockerel? Doesn't appear to have any distinctive hackle or saddle feathers, although tail looks quite full. Whatever it is, it's a gorgeous colour!

[xChicken04x]

Hmmm, tough one....are you sure that is a light sussex?

It doesn't have much of a comb, but quite long tail feathers and pointy hackle feathers. I can't see any spurs though...

Have you tried posting on the Practical Poultry website?

 

xx

[hpops]

i definately can't see any spurs - what are hackle feathers - & I'll go and check - I sooooooo hope she's a girl!!! Not sure that he/she's a light sussex - that's just what we've been told - what are your thoughts on breed xChicken04x???

[Snowy]

I agree, not a typical light sussex - looks like a 'bitsa' as Fee would say, 'bitsa this an' bitsa that'

[hpops]

what age do they generally get spurs?? And where are heckle feathers

[Snowy]

Oh gosh, I was hoping someone knowledgable might have been on by now!

No idea when spurs grow.

I think hackle feathers are the ones round the neck area - your hen's look lightly speckled. The saddle feathers are the ones between the hackles and the tail and are often longer and more pointy on a cockerel. (I think!! )

Have a look at this link, there are pics of light sussex hen and cockerel:

http://www.dtbcentre.co.uk/sussex.htm

[bronze]

spurs tend to be a lot later

 

I would venture a girl too. I do hope so for you

[hpops]

how long till i can tell for sure - ie starts crowing or laying??

[xChicken04x]

No idea of the breed, sorry. Its does look as if he/she has a sussex in him/her though, but definatly not a pure sussex. The hackle feathers are the black feathers around the neck in the light sussex pictures that Snowy posted. The saddle (or sickle?) feathers are the ones just before the tail, they are long and pointy (in a cockerel) and arch down-wards.

You say he/she is about 3 months? So about 12 weeks. It varies on whether he/she will crow or lay. It really does depend on the chicken. Our girls layed at 21 weeks, 24 weeks and one is 36 weeks (and still isn't laying.) As for crowing I have no idea as I have never had a cockerel. The only thing that worries me is the tail feathers on your pictures, they do look a bit fancy.

How does he/she walk? Does he/she strut?

I will go and investigate the pictures futher, but I honestly don't know.

Would you like me to post the picture on the Practical Poultry website? They are usually experienced in this kind of thing.

 

I personly think it looks more girly but I'm no expert so don't get your hopes up!

 

xx

[ali-s]

I can't decide either

 

Tallulah my light sussex cockerel crowed the morning I took him back to the breeder, he was about 5 months old.

 

Tallulah's comb reached further back on his head than your chicken.

 

Are the neck feathers ponted or rounded at the ends? Pointed means boy

 

One thing I did notice was that when one of my girls does a poo they take a step back, squat and plop. Tallulah did not, he just plopped. That is probably not a very scientific way of sexing chickens

[Egluntyne]

I'm veering towards girl but the tail feathers are rather lavish.

[lozkate]

http://club.omlet.co.uk/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=17988

 

Check out Sam. We thought she was aboy Sussex until she started laying. Now we're pretty sure she's a girl!

 

There's a few more of her and her sister Ella. Both Sussex both at about 16-18 weeks. Both looking quite butch.

 

Loz

[feemcg]

Had to spend ages on this - it's a tricky one ...but sorry, I think it could be a boy. If he's only 12 weeks his comb and wattles have time to grow, but he has narrow, pointy hackles, quite heavy legs and lavish tail. He also looks very like my Light Sussex x Rhode Island Red boys that I hatched. I hope I'm wrong

 

 

(edited a wee while later ) Have had another look and I'm not sure at all - are you sure he/she is only 12 weeks?

[Egluntyne]

You are right Fee....the legs are chunky and boyish.

 

Hmmmm....I'm veering towards boy again.

 

Plus.....if you look carefullyat the legs, there are the tiniest bumps which could be the beginnings of spurs.

 

I thought the hackle feathers looked a bit pointy......but not very easy to see because of the colouring.

 

I think you will have to wait till s/he crows or lays an egg!

[bronze]

 

Plus.....if you look carefullyat the legs, there are the tiniest bumps which could be the beginnings of spurs.

 

Stragenly all my girls have bumps there too. When I was reading up I found that spurs dont appear to much much later.

 

 

I've only just seent he third picture though so can now see what people mean about the tail. theres definitely that flick over of the feathers starting.

 

 

Its a BIRL

or a GOY

 

I have no idea. In my experience in the boys the comb etc are redder from the beginning but.... then they've also been bigger.

 

I'm still on the girl side I think.

 

Ask us again in another week

[The Dogmother]

I think it looks like a boy... sorry.

 

If you hold the chook up, facing yo and run your finger along the feathers on its back formt he base of the tail towards the head. Look at those feathers against a dark background - are they pointed or rounded. The cushion feathers on a boy will be more pointed.

[hpops]

They are pointy rounded!!!! it's so hard isn't it!! I'll have a good look at the feathers when I go home tonight and compare them to my other girls. I must say of all the help on this forum - the comments about the tail feathers are the ones that have made me think it's a boy - they are a bit fussy aren't they.....Oh I wish I could know for sure I tried to post on practical poultry but I can't remember my login!! I'm so attached to him/her that I need to start getting used to the idea he/she will have to go!!! I have been told that it isn't uncommon to have quiet cockerels that don't really crow - is this true or just wishful thinking??

[The Dogmother]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, but cockerels will mostly crow all day from sunrise onwards - in the summer, this can be from 4am on

[feemcg]

I've had a Frizzle bantam crow his wee head off at 9 weeks and a Buff Orp that didn't crow till 28 weeks, while some of the Legbars crowed at 13 weeks........so basically, you just have to wait and see.

On the topic of spurs, as Bron says, most of the girls have 'bumps' too so it's not an indicator of sex early on - none of my cockerels that crowed had developed spurs - they come much later.