HELP!!! Cockrel or Pullet??

[KNS360]

We got our 6 babies on March 1st, up until about a week or two ago I was sure they were ALL ladies... then I started to notice one of them getting a lot of red in the face. I am thinking/hoping its a Pullet but a few people I have asked say NO WAY, its a Cockrel!
The coloring of all the birds are the same (or course pattern differs slightly) and he/she is a bit shy which I thought was unheard of for a cockrel? It also sounds just like the others as well and isnt loud like I thought the boys get to be?
They are about 16 weeks old and already getting to be big lovely girls! I am just hoping I have 6 pullets instead of 5... please help!!!


As you can see, very red!



Size and coloring are all similar, and it doesnt have any large tail feathers



curious but shy



Cockel or Pullet??!

 

[LittleRedCoop53]

Are they Cuckoo Marans? If so the males are lighter, so i'd say it's a pullet... i had two Cuckoo hens that looked just like that.

 

[KNS360]

Oh sorry! I should have mentioned, they are Barred Rock (or Plymouth Rock)

Or is that he same thing?? haha I am a new chicken owner!!

 

[iwiw60]

Oh, he's a ROO alrighty!!

 

[Griffinsong]

Looks male, but if he is male, he is not a purebred Barred Rock[though he could still be a purebred Plymouth Rock, but he is clearly the result of a barred to non-barred breeding, probably a barred roo over a non-barred hen if the females are his sisters.], pure barred males would be lighter because they have 2 copies of the barring gene.

 

[Basskids08]

Looks male, but if he is male, he is not a purebred Barred Rock[though he could still be a purebred Plymouth Rock, but he is clearly the result of a barred to non-barred breeding, probably a barred roo over a non-barred hen if the females are his sisters.], pure barred males would be lighter because they have 2 copies of the barring gene.

X2

 

[donrae]

At 16 weeks I'm really thinking pullet reaching point of lay, but there's a shadow over the back part of her body that doesn't let me see her tail area well. Can you get a clear, well-lit profile shot? I'm sure hoping you're just getting eggs soon! Also, how sure are you on age? Being off by a few weeks can make a difference.

 

[K Spot]

At 16 weeks I'm really thinking pullet reaching point of lay, but there's a shadow over the back part of her body that doesn't let me see her tail area well. Can you get a clear, well-lit profile shot? I'm sure hoping you're just getting eggs soon! Also, how sure are you on age? Being off by a few weeks can make a difference.

x2

 

[tadpole98]

Her face is turning red because she is maturing into an egg layer. 100% pullet, if it were a rooster it would have long, pointy saddle feathers, long tail feather, and other differences. I'd say you will be getting your first egg here soon!

 

[KNS360]

I got them from the local feed store on March 1st - so I am not sure on the exact age or if they are all sisters

This Saturday will be 15 weeks we've had them... so I'd say give them an extra few days for when they actually hatched -right?

I am leaning more towards Pullet because of personality and feathers... One of the FOR SURE females has a bigger tail than this one, I was just surprised by how much more red this one was!

I'll try and get better pictures tonight, we let them free range for the first time yesterday! It was fun, I think they had a blast too!
Hopefully I didnt wait too long to let them roam... I was just nervous - we've got a lot of eagles around my neck of the woods.

Hopefully I'll be seeing eggs here soon, we've got 6 of these lovely barred rock beauties and I cant wait for their big brown eggs!!!