kittyl Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 (edited) Our Pekin chicks are from 2 different hens, which may account for the difference in size. 2 are far bigger & have more wing feathers but the wings are wider - more triangular shaped than the others. We think they will be Buff. The 2 small ones are lighter colour, probably will be white, their wings are more pointy & narrow with the lowest feather much longer than the others. Does this difference in wing shape & size indicate the sex. This morning while they were having a good flap & run about 2 chicks started fighting, they raised their heads up & pecked eachothers beaks, they look like cockerels fighting, I'm sure they were just playing at it, but does this mean they are probably boys? Edited July 16, 2011 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 With pekins by far the easiest way to sex them is by comb size, within a few weeks the males will have pink obvious combs and the females combs are much smaller and a bit yellowy coloured Feathering on the back and tail is normally quicker in females Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittyl Posted June 1, 2011 Author Share Posted June 1, 2011 So the play fighting doesnt mean anything? I'm feeling so impatient, I spose we'll have to wait another week or 2 till we know what we've got. My son has got attached to one of the big ones & I'm praying that it's a girl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 The play fighting is quite common across both sexes Some pekin experts can sex pekins at a day old I normally sort the body from the girls at about two weeks old by four weeks there wouldnt be any doubt though - comparatively quick whenyou look at other breeds but no consolation for you I am sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittyl Posted June 2, 2011 Author Share Posted June 2, 2011 Thanks Redwing, we'll start having daily comb inspections! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Tea Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 you sound as impatient as me! Mine are two weeks too and I've been trying to guess what they are I only have two chicks, the one that hatched first is smaller than the other but has a slightly more prominent comb and less feathers so far ..... at the moment I'm thinking that one is a cockerel and the other possibly a hen, but just like yours they have been squaring up to one another Obviously just having the two I'm hoping that at least one of them is a hen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coco Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I have three four week old chicks, two millefluer pekins and one chocolate orpington bantam. Until last weekend I though the two pekins were both cockerels but one now has a larger comb and is developing very noticable wattles, so I'm hoping one hen and one cockerel. As for the orp bantam I haven't got a clue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmastar Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I have 6 chicks all difernt breeds so i have no comparison , they re between 8 and 10 days od today so still way to young but its driving me crazy . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollie333 Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I have some 4 week olds, one with a huge comb and wattles and the other 4 with small yellowy pink combs but red wattles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JillM Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 I have 4 four week old golden spangled appenzellers (don't think a comb is going to help me sex these) and 1 four week old Old English Pheasant Fowl....haven't a clue where to start.... I was thinking that males are supposed to have pointier feathers, but my eyes aren't that good and they all seem to be the same.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atsw Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 I'm feeling so impatient, I spose we'll have to wait another week or 2 till we know what we've got. As redwing said, with Pekins after just two or three weeks it will start to become obvious which are the boys, by four or five weeks it's 100% clear. This is my five together at 4 weeks old; just look how different the 'head gear' of the two boys at the back is compared to the three girls. If you would like to see their progress over the first five weeks, you can click here for a short slideshow. Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittyl Posted June 7, 2011 Author Share Posted June 7, 2011 Wow, Andrew, look at those little combs! my chicks dont have those yet. There is a bit of colour on a couple of them, & the 2 largest chicks have bigger ones but one is pinker than the other, I think I have 2 cockerels but I'm only really guessing. Maybe a few more days then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Tea Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Hi How are yours looking now (at three weeks) - any change? I only have two so it's difficult to compare as they could be both same sex (Mine are three weeks now too) I thought the black one might be a boy but now I'm not so sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 I thought the black one might be a boy but now I'm not so sure They're both looking decidedly girlie at the moment but obviously that could change! I've noticed that combs and wattles tend to get redder on the boys at around three weeks, or at least they do on everything I've ever hatched. I have three girls and four boys this time around ..... and one of the boys (Silver Sussex / Cuckoo Marans) may be reprieved if his gorgeous colouring stays as he matures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 I think those are both girlies Green Tea! What colour is that 1st one? Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Both girls, I think too. They look just like my Frizzle girl chicks at the same age, and the boy was very obvious by his bigger pink comb and wattles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Tea Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Really - that would be great I was prepared to keep a cockerel and see if I could get away with it but it will be easier if they are both girls! The first one is almost certainly a Millefleur I think. Jury is still out on the other one - I know you said you (Emma) thought it might be a black frizzle but shouldn't it be more frizzly by now?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 You would know at about 4 - 5 days old if frizzle, as the wing tip feathers curl & by now they would look ready for take off! Plain feathered pekin there I think. Wonder if it will turn stripy with it having the white chest. That 1st one is a sweet little cutiepie. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Tea Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 That 1st one is a sweet little cutiepie. Emma.x Yes I think so too ...... and I have you to thank for her (both actually, because I think they are both super cute) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittyl Posted June 9, 2011 Author Share Posted June 9, 2011 Golly, none of mine have combs that big yet. I can just see the start of a tiny comb on some of them but the colour seems to vary each time I look at them.They have lots of wing feathers though. My little mystery black bantam something (surprise egg that slipped in with the others) has quite a big, but yellow comb, but the Pekins are keeping me in suspence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittyl Posted June 23, 2011 Author Share Posted June 23, 2011 These babies are 5 weeks old, still small but finally developing feathers & combs what do you think about these 4? This is Pixi (my favourite) Smidge (my son's favourite) she's the biggest & most feathered of them This is Sugar and Spice oops sorry Sugar has fallen off the page, I always have trouble fitting pics this site Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atsw Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 oops sorry Sugar has fallen off the page, I always have trouble fitting pics this site A while ago I wrote a short forum guide that might help you in future. See here -> http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=48619#p729048 Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittyl Posted June 24, 2011 Author Share Posted June 24, 2011 Thanks Andrew, I should have Image Maker somewhere which I think will do the same thing, cant find it now I'll get techi hubbie to look over the weekend. Meanwhile, any ideas about our chicks that havent fallen off the page? I need some good news, I've been told that our little black mystery bantam girl is actually a boy, so we cant keep it after all. I spend a stupid amount of time staring at the pekins, sometimes I think they're all girls, as the combs are so small. Other times I think they're all boys because the little combs are fairly pink. None of them has a comb as big as the black bantam but his is quite yellowy (s'why I thought was a girl) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 lol I know what you mean Im always looking at mine too, and in denial about a lot of them Im sure. Its hard to tell from above shots as the way Im identifying mine is from the fact the boys headgear (Im guessing) seems to stick up more, where as the other ones that I presume are girls the combs tapper into the head more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atsw Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 ... any ideas about our chicks? I need some good news, I've been told that our little black mystery bantam girl is actually a boy, so we cant keep it after all. I spend a stupid amount of time staring at the pekins, sometimes I think they're all girls, as the combs are so small. Other times I think they're all boys because the little combs are fairly pink. None of them has a comb as big as the black bantam but his is quite yellowy (s'why I thought was a girl) It's really hard with your Pekins, what combs they have are flat and quite broad, whereas the Pekin comb is usually quite narrow and almost saw like with tiny little teeth. I'm going to say all girls, not because of the combs (odd as they are), but because there's no obvious sign of wattles. If you look back at my Pekins chicks at 4 weeks, both boys had very pronounced wattles and much bigger/taller combs. There was no such thing on the three girls. As all three of yours look so similar, I think they are all the same sex, so lets hope for girls . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
