4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[BeckyBoo]

Morning, in 4 short weeks my lovely little fluff ball easter chicks have grown into miniature hens, they're at a lovely in between stage where they're not as cute as chicks and not as lovely looking as hens, they're scrawny, scruffy, partly feathered and partly fluff. Nice

Anyway, having read and read on here and other forums I'm thinking that I've got three girls and two boys on the basis that everyone seems to say that boys develop tails etc later than the girls. Also, because I bought the eggs I know what breeds I've got, or thought I did - both the Buff Orpington and Brahma looked identical as small chicks so I thought I'd got two Orpingtons in error, there are now some noticeable differences so I may have a Brahma however he / she hasn't got fluffy legs. Anyone know if their leg warmers appear later?

 

So here they are for your perusal, not brill pics but then the little tinkers won't stand still for a minute

 

I think this is an Orpington boy...

 

This is my Legbar girl (this is all prefixed with "I think"!)

 

Not a brilliant shot but this is my Copper Black Maran - a girl I think

 

Could this be a Brahma girl?

 

I also have a Buff Sussex which I think is a boy, the boys aren't an issue as I have homes for them both and if they let us down we're going to eat them (sorry )

 

And their lovely rented accomodation c/o Perfect Poultry in Ligh"Ooops, word censored!"er..

 

Mrs Bertie

 

Edited to say, think of this - if they were being intesively reared they'd be "ready" to eat in 11 days time. Just goes to show how artificially they're reared in those sheds.

Edited July 7, 2008 by Guest

[Stevie]

awwwwwww!

 

It is a wake up call when you think how quickly intensivly reared poultry is ready for the table and how much better it is when left to nature.

[MedusA]

I have no idea, Mrs B, but just wanted to say how cute they all are, whatever they turn out to be.

 

I don't want to even think about the edit to your post.

[Egluntyne]

They are sweet. It is difficult to hazzard a guess without a closeup.

 

Have you checked the hackle feathers? Boys are pointed and girls are rounded.

 

Boys tend to have chunkier legs and the comb develops earlier.

 

Females feather up a bit quicker than males, in general.

 

The primary wing feathers in females tend to be longer than the covert feathers, whereas in males, they tend to be shorter or the same length.

[The Dogmother]

I'd need close-ups to be able to tell.. sorry.

[WitchHazel]

Lovely little darlings!

[dogs and chickens]

They are so lovely lucky you. I'm another one who does not want to think about that last comment!

 

I did not know you could rent eglu's what a great idea, wish I had know this before. Will have to look into price for furture reference.

 

What a proud Mummy hen you have there.

 

Michelle

[craftyhunnypie]

Hi Mrs B, I'm going to go with your predictions having looked at the photos. I do agree that the first pic is an Orpington boy. He has the same stance as my Bumble had at that age & is the same shape (although a different breed). The others just look girly. My Boon (girl) feathered up very quickly & got little tail feathers at a very early age. My big boy took quite a while to feather up & when he did, he got strange feathers on like his shoulder blades, a bit like a vampire cape collar!

 

Good luck with your predictions, whatever the outcome, they will be stunners!

 

Emma.x

[frenchlayer]

Aww they are really cute. Makes you think though doesn't it.

[ubereglu]

I can't help you with telling you what sex they are, but they are sweet!

[Karen Pimlott]

Cant tell off the pics i need a clear pic to tell as they can deceive you at this age, I would like to see another pic of your copper maran? Looks like a chap to me can i see comb & wattle? or is it my eyes

 

Your Brahma should have feathered legs from day 1 ...

 

K.

[mrsm_jones]

At what age should you be able to tell definitively?? I thought previously that I had to wait for them to crow!!

Mine are 3 weeks old.

[Happybunny]

I have Pekin chicks that are about 6-7 weeks old and the cockerels have very obviously red combs and wattles and are bigger than the hens. Their combs became red about 2-3 weeks ago, but I think pekins develop early because my last lot were attempting to crow at about 4-5 weeks!

[BeckyBoo]

A few better pics, what do you think, boy or girl?

 

I think....girl,

 

....boy.....

 

.....boy....

 

...and I thought girl, but someone else thought boy...

 

 

Mrs B

[Abbey Road Girl]

The wee ones remind me of my gangly self between 11 and 15.

[The Dogmother]

Sorry Mrs B, none the wiser, really need close-ups of their heads to be sure.