Need a little help.

[MrChickenMan87]

I recently bought these chickens. They all came from the same momma bird. Two are older than the other 2. Cannot determine the breed. Was also told all 4 were female.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

So it sounds like they came to you from a private individuals flock? When you say they "came from the same mama bird" were they just hatched by this hen but from eggs from the flock in general, or did the seller specifically state the eggs were layed by one hen? They dont spear that different in age and certainly no significantly enough that one hen would have, for example, hatched, returned to laying and hatched again in the span of time between their ages. A broody hen will hatch any eggs she can get under her, not justcockerels. Did the seller identify the breed of the hen/did you see the hen(s) in this persons flock? Did the person tell you the breed(s) of the rooster(s) they have? The chicks look likely to be what is commonly known as "barnyard mix".
You appear to have at least two cockerels. What method was used in sexing them if you know? There are so many old wives tales out there that people believe and use to sex chicks that are nothing more than a 50/50 best guess.

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

The two birds with red combs are cockerels. I think they are mixed breeds.

 

[MrChickenMan87]

Sorry it took so long to reply. Yes they came from a private source. She did not specify what the breed was. However they all looked to be of the Red variety. She sexted them by looking at the wings. She said even double small feathers means female, and uneven single small feathers mean male. From her guess, they was all female. However, 2 have combs and 2 do not.

 

[Littleshadow]

Most breeds cannot be feather sexed. So unless she is breeding specific birds for feather sexing then its unreliable. It's also only reliable the first day or two after hatch.

These are most likely barn yard mixes and she read an article about feather sexing and thought it would apply to any bird.
I'd agree 2 makes and 2 females.

 

[MrChickenMan87]

I did get them when they was 5 days old and she was an older lady with a small farm, so I highly doubt she just read something on the internet. The only reason I believe two are cockerels was because they have a comb and waddles. The other 2 only have a comb. However I just did my own "research" lol, and it seems that both sexes have them on certain breeds. So back to square one? I checked all 4 and they all have rounded heckle feathers. Says online that means female?

 

[Amer]

Sorry it took so long to reply. Yes they came from a private source. She did not specify what the breed was. However they all looked to be of the Red variety. She sexted them by looking at the wings. She said even double small feathers means female, and uneven single small feathers mean male. From her guess, they was all female. However, 2 have combs and 2 do not.

That only works when bred in a certain way. The lady you got them was misinformed. Hatcheries breed for this. Unless she crossed a male with a fast feathering trait with a slow feathering pullet she would not get this sexlinkage. Obviously she did not make this cross or there would not be two roosters.
The round feathers idea works, but only once they are about four months or so.
She was internet misinformed. I know because there are obviously at least two cockerels there. And that happens to everyone. People think they are experts and post feather sexing graphs all the time. And they never work.

 

[MrChickenMan87]

That only works when bred in a certain way. The lady you got them was misinformed. Hatcheries breed for this. Unless she crossed a male with a fast feathering trait with a slow feathering pullet she would not get this sexlinkage. Obviously she did not make this cross or there would not be two roosters.
The round feathers idea works, but only once they are about four months or so.

Oh...ok. Yea it doesn't say online the timeframe of when you can sex by feathers.

 

[MrChickenMan87]

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Firstly all chickens male and female have a comb and wattles. Secondly male chicks called cockerels develope faster then their female counterparts and that is why two are showing a prominent comb at this age while the pullet chicks are not.