Cube mk2 and WIR

[Gallina]

Some of you remember that I was given three six-week-old chicks by my next-door neighbour. They are now thirteen weeks old, and doing well.

 

The little Brahma I was given is, as I thought, a girl. It is easy to distinguish the girls from boys by their markings. Rather surprisingly, however, the persecuted starving little Brahma chick I was given as an afterthought is definitely a cockerel, even though he is still the smallest of the lot.

 

The one I thought was supposed to be a Blue Cochin is actually a Blue Orpington. She looks like a girl, but is a vast size for 13 weeks: very much bigger than my hybrids already. Here is a picture: what do you think?

 

[welsh sarah]

hi

i have no idea, just wanted to say very beautiful

sarah

[The Dogmother]

It has very big face furniture for a 13 week old.. If it's that young, then it could well be a boy. Big strong looking legs too.

 

Are there any clues in the gorgeous one's posture?

[BeckyBoo]

Hello Gallina, long time no hear, I was wondering how you and your flock were! Lovely looking chook, does look rather boyish in the face How have you been able to tell your Brahma's sex if you don't mind me asking as I have one and I'm still not sure either way.

 

Mrs B

[Egluntyne]

Looks boyish to me too.

 

There is something about the sweep of the feathers on the side, as well as the face ornamentation being on the lavish size for such a youngster.

 

Beautiful chook though.

[GreenGirl]

Hi, I have a 16 week old blue Orpington, who doesn't have the same level of face ornamentation as your little one ...

[mrsallen08]

I would say boy! I am getting the hang of this now! If you look at the saddle feathers that are swooping down and also the start of the longer sickle feathers on the tail!?

Gorgeous little fella though!

[Gallina]

My Blue Orpington can't be a boy: she's too gorgeous. She is a girl with big wattles, and I won't listen, even though I have suspicions myself.

 

As for Brahmas. the markings of boys and girls are so different that there is no mistaking it. (I didn't know this when I got them: I thought they were two different kinds of Brahma, and my neighbours were very vague.)

 

I have one of each of these:

http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/poultry/chickens/brahma/dark.htm

My girl looks just like that girl, and although the boy doesn't look like the cockerel, he is definitely going that way.

[mrsallen08]

aww i know how you feel. We had 3 original hybrids that all turned out to be cockerels and now our 2 marans are also cocks we think. So annoying but we have been fobbed off by a dodgy 'friend of a friend'. Not best pleased!

Denial is great..........until they start crowing!

[ruth1]

My 23 week old Orpington's comb and wattles are hardly noticable compared to yours, but id be guessing boy, sorry.

 

keep him/her anyway he/she's gorgeous

[Janty]

Apart from the legs, she is the model of my lovely blue cochin.

I'd say a she.

 

Jan

[moomin]

Apart from the legs she looks like my blue cochin too!

 

I would say a girlie although the wattles and comb are a bit bigger than my girl's were at her age.

 

Are the neck feathers supposed to be pointy on a boy? Hers look quite rounded, same as my cochin's.

 

I hope she's a girl, she's a stunner. I am passionate about big fluffy chooksters!! '

[Gallina]

Thanks to everyone for their replies. They break down as follows:

 

Boy: 6

Girl: 2

Sitting on the fence: 2

 

There is a farm nearby that will take boys, where they live an exciting but somewhat risky life. Until you actually have a boy, you think will be able to hand it over easily....

 

He might still be a girl. But it's the comb that worries me most.

[bronze]

Put me down for boy too.

She big in the face though not huge and her legs are on the large side.

Fingers crossed its a she

[BeckyBoo]

Have had a look at that site and another I found and Scruff MAY just be a girl!

They're so slow to develop I probably won't be convinced either way til he / she either lays an egg or goes cock a doodle do!

 

Mrs B

[craftyhunnypie]

I think girl!

I havea partridge cochin 23 weeks next Monday we think it is laying the odd egg every few days, but has the colouring of the male. Not got a big comb or wattles, doesn't crow - but has some gorgeous pointy golden ginger feathers at the end of her back. Very confusing. We called her a Thai name from her being a chick...Boon. Perhaps she's a ladyboy?

 

Emma.x

[Janty]

Until you actually have a boy, you think will be able to hand it over easily.

 

I know what you mean. I know that it sounds stupid but I still miss Posh Spice and Baby Spice, my brahma boys and they were rehomed at the local brahma breeders with their own personal harems last December. They were so friendly and snuggly. The breeder thought that I was mental snuggling them and blubbering into my tissues. I couldn't even see to drive.

[craftyhunnypie]

I can fully understand. I love my boys - Spongebob with his frizzle feathers & high pitch crow with a sore throat ending & Bumble my huge boy who seems so clumsy he trips over his own feet & loves his chest tickled. I love them to bits, Bumble is my really special Wernlas Collection boy I hatched myself - so he will always be mummys big soldier! He will be having children in the spring - he has 2 girlfriends, out of the possible 6 / 7. He loves Frenchie the welsummer & really loves Marlene the gold laced wyandotte (posh chook). He might be big & clumsy, but he's more than capable!

 

Emma.x