Help _ Hen or Roo? _ Five 6 Week Old Cuckoo Marans_ (POST SPLIT UP FOR EASE OF SEXING)

[Butt_Nugget_Hut092]

Gotcha, these were nicer pics. I think it's because it's just the normal way we usually see pictures so we are used to them like this. Your enhanced were nice and vivid just out of the norm I think. Speaking just for myself here, tho.

Your little ones I think are just play challenging each other, but this is how they establish the pecking order. Each one is vying for head hen position until they each learn their place. All normal behavior unless it's over aggressive blood shed, then I would intervene. For now I would let them work it out, they're being chickens.

Do you know if I can I post short videos or clips on here? That might be a better way to show the chicks and how they look since lighting is so bad.

I understand chicken pecking order and everything but I didn't think a hen would try to fight or go after a roo, am I wrong? My understanding was they had two different pecking orders. But that even the alpha hen would be underneath any roosters typically.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Do you know if I can I post short videos or clips on here? That might be a better way to show the chicks and how they look since lighting is so bad.

I understand chicken pecking order and everything but I didn't think a hen would try to fight or go after a roo, am I wrong? My understanding was they had two different pecking orders. But that even the alpha hen would be underneath any roosters typically.

Yes, but you have to host thru the media gallery which I don't know. I post videos thru 'You Tube'. Just copy link and paste in reply on my phone.

Roosters are not part of the pecking order after they've matured. I'm sorry if I miss spoke there. Right now they'll all play challenge.

Think of it like the pullets AND cockerels are establishing future pecking order now but soon the boys will mature faster than the girls and they'll want to dominate each other for lead rooster (which is separate from the pecking order) but they will also want to dominate and start mating the girls.
This is the time where most keepers decide on which boy to keep and think about separating the pullets so their not being harassed by over mating. This is the perfect time to put these young sex driven boys in with older hens as they will teach them how to treat a girl right.

My young ones at 12 weeks have been integrated into my main flock since 3 weeks old, but they are not only being trained by my hens but also they watch my rooster who IS the alpha male so they are learning by how he treats his girls.

Hopefully I answered that for you, I went off on a tangent there a bit.

 

[Butt_Nugget_Hut092]

Yes, but you have to host thru the media gallery which I don't know. I post videos thru 'You Tube'. Just copy link and paste in reply on my phone.

Roosters are not part of the pecking order after they've matured. I'm sorry if I miss spoke there. Right now they'll all play challenge.

Think of it like the pullets AND cockerels are establishing future pecking order now but soon the boys will mature faster than the girls and they'll want to dominate each other for lead rooster (which is separate from the pecking order) but they will also want to dominate and start mating the girls.
This is the time where most keepers decide on which boy to keep and think about separating the pullets so their not being harassed by over mating. This is the perfect time to put these young sex driven boys in with older hens as they will teach them how to treat a girl right.

My young ones at 12 weeks have been integrated into my main flock since 3 weeks old, but they are not only being trained by my hens but also they watch my rooster who IS the alpha male so they are learning by how he treats his girls.

Hopefully I answered that for you, I went off on a tangent there a bit.

You did answer it. And that's all really interesting and helpful information! Thank you!

This is only my second time raising chicks. I have 6 laying hens that I hatched in september of 2023 currently in a coop/run set up on my property. I got rid of all of my roosters first time around. Not because I couldnt have them, but because they were mean. Even when I made it so I only had one rooster to 7 hens. (Not a perfect ratio. I know) The bugger was mean, the hens didnt like him, he would attack them, pull out mouth fulls of feathers, the girls would stay up high away from him. And after he bit me in the face and actually left a scar. He was gone. So I don't currently have any roosters. I was hoping to get one maybe two that were friendly and sweet this time round.
But despite reading a ton of stuff about chickens I always feel like I'm way out of my depth. Also learning new things, scrambling to figure something out.

I can't currently add them to my coop. My girls are just now getting over fowl pox. I believe I only have one more hen that has healing sores. And ooof, this has been trying... It been like 2 months at this point.
Also, my girls are savages, I don't know if that's normal but they go after anything that is smaller then them and moves... so the integration process is going to be slow...

 

[Butt_Nugget_Hut092]

All still look like pullets

With the editing on the photos it’s kind of hard to tell, but I think all look like pullets.

9 weeks old now.

I'm still thinking most are roos. I just can't get it out if my head.

Tried to take clear photos. Also a video.

They will be moved to coop soon. Vaccine for fowl pox just came in the mail. So I'm going to vaccinate them, then let their immunity build. Then they will be moved.

Bonus...
6 week old supposedly Ameraucana. Roo or hen?

 

[NatJ]

9 weeks old now.

I'm still thinking most are roos. I just can't get it out if my head.

Of the black birds with white barring:
Red and Yellow and Purple look female to me.

Green and Blue might be male, judging mostly by the size & color of the wattles, but I'm not really sure about that. I would have expected males to be much more obvious by 9 weeks of age, so they are either slow-developing males, or they might be fast-developing females. If they are not crowing, I would keep an eye on them and see how it goes. Crowing would make me sure they are males.

In the photo that has Blue in the middle, I'm pretty sure I see a male head in the back right corner.

Bonus...
6 week old supposedly Ameraucana. Roo or hen?

Probably female, but a bit young to be sure.

Ameraucanas are supposed to have muff/beard on the face and slate-colored feet. That chick clearly has yellow feet, and I don't see the muff/beard either (given the age of the chick, it might have one that isn't obvious right now.)

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

Just judging from the amount of white on their barring, all look like pullets. Green and blue do have quite a bit of wattle growth, but I would expect cockerels to have much more by this age.

The white one looks like a pullet.