The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: NorthWales on April 19, 2016, 08:43:16 am

Title: Hens or cockerels?
Post by: NorthWales on April 19, 2016, 08:43:16 am

Hi, wondered if anyone could help, I've just brought 2 Pekin chicks but the seller was unable to sex them, I've had a Google but keep doubting my choices! Could any of you have an educated guess?

Title: Re: Hens or cockerels?
Post by: Q on April 19, 2016, 09:34:23 am

Left cockerel  /  right hen

Title: Re: Hens or cockerels?
Post by: NorthWales on April 19, 2016, 10:03:48 am

Thanks, we'll at least I've got one hen!

Title: Re: Hens or cockerels?
Post by: Q on April 19, 2016, 10:24:02 am

Quote from: NorthWales on April 19, 2016, 10:03:48 am

Thanks, we'll at least I've got one hen!

It is only a guess - what did you think you had?

Title: Re: Hens or cockerels?
Post by: JedM on April 19, 2016, 10:26:02 am

I would agree with Q  :thumbsup:

Title: Re: Hens or cockerels?
Post by: NorthWales on April 19, 2016, 10:48:23 am

Well I was hoping for 2 hens,  but I actually thought they might both be cockerels but was unsure on the yellow one.

Title: Re: Hens or cockerels?
Post by: harmony on April 19, 2016, 11:38:07 am

How are they normally sexed? I thought by a certain age the combs might be bigger on a cock bird. You can't compare the combs on this picture. How old are they? Why did you think you might have two hens?

Title: Re: Hens or cockerels?
Post by: NorthWales on April 19, 2016, 11:45:44 am

Couple more pics

Title: Re: Hens or cockerels?
Post by: NorthWales on April 19, 2016, 11:49:32 am

Another

Title: Re: Hens or cockerels?
Post by: NorthWales on April 19, 2016, 11:51:02 am

Hope these are clear enough

Title: Re: Hens or cockerels?
Post by: harmony on April 19, 2016, 11:54:48 am

How do the combs compare? I can't tell anything from the pictures except the darker chick generally looks a smaller bird.


If their combs are the same then you can maybe deduce that you have two birds of the same sex.  If when you bought them other chicks in the brood had bigger combs then maybe you have two hens.


I suspect you might have to wait a bit longer before you can be sure.

Title: Re: Hens or cockerels?
Post by: harmony on April 19, 2016, 11:56:34 am

From the picture my gut instinct would be your darker one is a hen and the other a cock.

Title: Re: Hens or cockerels?
Post by: Q on April 19, 2016, 12:05:55 pm

Much clearer pictures and I am sticking with my first guess.  On the darker one you can see the start of the wattles and even though the light one has more of a comb than i could see in the first picture, there is no sign of wattles on the light one.
Also, (this is just me) I think I see minor differences in hens eye shape and your light one has 'henny eyes' - that term will be in the OED shortly.  :roflanim:

Title: Re: Hens or cockerels?
Post by: in the hills on April 19, 2016, 12:25:41 pm

I would guess that the dark one is a cockerel. Not so sure about the light one (the comb looks big enough to be a boy in one photo but not so pronounced in the other).

How old are they?

Our pekins seem to mature much quicker than the bigger fowl and by 8 weeks can be making their first attempts to crow. The boys develop their wattles before this and usually start to redden much earlier than the girls. Usually pretty easy to sex compared to other breeds and you don't have to wait long.

I do like Pekin cockerels, though .... cheeky little chaps. My daughter loves to carry them around.

Title: Re: Hens or cockerels?
Post by: NorthWales on April 19, 2016, 12:29:06 pm

Thanks, yeah Pekin cockerels are great, we've already got 2 of them, so don't want another two... or they might end up as stew....

Title: Re: Hens or cockerels?
Post by: lord flynn on April 19, 2016, 03:31:48 pm

dark one defo a male-base of comb is already pinkish and wattles already coming through.

Title: Re: Hens or cockerels?
Post by: Steph Hen on April 19, 2016, 05:27:56 pm

My first thought is two cocks (sorry and I hope I'm wrong!)

Title: Re: Hens or cockerels?
Post by: roddycm on April 19, 2016, 10:20:11 pm

I would think both cocks :/

Title: Re: Hens or cockerels?
Post by: Q on June 21, 2016, 09:31:36 pm

If you are still about I would love an update to see what they turned out to be.