Sexing Mottled Cochin Bantam (15wks Old)

[JeffreH]

Hi all,


I just wanted to get your opinion on the sex of this little 15-week old mottled cochin bantam (Caroline). We purchased a small flock of 1-day old ‘female/pullet’ bantams on April 10th from ‘My Pet Chicken’ (via Meyer Hatchery) and received two mottled cochin bantams (Caroline and Octavia). They have both looked roughly identical and been on-par with one another as far as development goes until approximately 13-weeks of age when Caroline began developing a slightly larger and more frequently red comb and wattle.

From our flock of 8 bantam ‘pullets’ we have one definitive male/roo mille fleur d’uccle. He developed a very red comb and started exhibiting behavioral signs of being a cockerel by 4-5 weeks; and he’s been consistently crowing now since he was about 10 weeks old.

Caroline, the mottled cochin bantam of interest, has never displayed any behavior signs of being a roo. She has not crowed, and gets along great with the d’uccle roo whose the same age. Caroline is just marginally smaller than her bantam cochin sister but the difference in size and color of the comb/wattle area is what has me concerned… Octavia almost always has a pale yellow comb that will rarely fire up to a light pink… Caroline’s comb and wattle are always at least pink, but will fire up to a red color frequently and are notably larger.

These are our first chickens, and being a mixed group (d’uccles, bantam cochins, bantam EE’s, bantam brahma, and bantam PBR) I don’t have a good reference point for delimiting sex between the breeds. When I look at the flock together the d’uccle roo and Caroline just stand out as having the most head gear. Again, Caroline does not ‘act’ like a roo nor does her appearance/feathering look any different from her sisters…it’s just size and coloring of the comb and wattle at this point.


Here are some reference photos:

[/URL]

[URL=http://s2.photobucket.com/user/JEFFREH/media/IMG_6695_zpsosrsaevr.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s2.photobucket.com/user/JEFFREH/media/IMG_6682_zps166hj4xk.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s2.photobucket.com/user/JEFFREH/media/IMG_6678_zpskt5ctuds.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s2.photobucket.com/user/JEFFREH/media/IMG_6674_zpstclv20iu.jpg.html][/URL]

Thank you for any help! =)

Cheers,

PS: We have detailed photos of each individual's growth progression taken every week from 1 week to 15 weeks of age. I can provide additional photos of Caroline (past or current) and others of her sister or the flock for additional reference if needed.

-Jeff[/url][/url][/url][/url]

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

I'm thinking she's a pullet, but could you post a picture of the other mottled cochin?

 

[rIrs roost]

I'd say hen. I'm not the greatest at this though.

 

[AlleysChicks]

Jeff I'm suspicious. I have a Buff bantam Cochin the same age that's female and her comb and wattles are small with just the barest hint of pink. The males by 4-6 weeks are easily identifiable. Could you post the pics of them at that age please?

 

[Suzi18]

I have a pair of female cochin bantams the same age. One is as developed as yours and the other still has a mainly yellow comb. I think they are just maturing at a different rate

 

[JeffreH]

Thank you all for the input on Caroline thus far =) here are some photos I currently have on this desktop. I can certainly dig up or take more photos later when I have access to my personal laptop:


First up, a throwback group shot at 7 weeks of age:

[/URL
]


Now a progression photo at 9 weeks -- *Caroline is on BOTTOM RIGHT* (Octavia top-right)

[URL=http://s2.photobucket.com/user/JEFFREH/media/9-Weeks-Old-June13-SpringCelesteOctCaro_zpsdqqa6olg.jpg.html][/URL
]


Next, a group shot at 11 weeks of age:

[URL=http://s2.photobucket.com/user/JEFFREH/media/11-Weeks-Old-GroupFenceJune28_zpstu9v9oiz.jpg.html]


Caroline (pictured RIGHT) and Octavia at 11 weeks:



Group Shot 12 weeks of age:



Group shot 15 weeks of age:




Thanks all =)[/URL][/URL]

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Thank you all for the input on Caroline thus far =) here are some photos I currently have on this desktop. I can certainly dig up or take more photos later when I have access to my personal laptop:


First up, a throwback group shot at 7 weeks of age:

[/URL
]


Now a progression photo at 9 weeks -- *Caroline is on BOTTOM RIGHT* (Octavia top-right)

[/URL
]


Next, a group shot at 11 weeks of age:




Caroline (pictured RIGHT) and Octavia at 11 weeks:



Group Shot 12 weeks of age:



Group shot 15 weeks of age:




Thanks all =)

She's definitely a just a fast maturing pullet.

 

[AlleysChicks]

X2 and you have a lovely flock Jeff

 

[Boone Farm]

X2 and you have a lovely flock Jeff

+1.

What a beautiful flock you have!

 

[drumstick diva]

Pullet, I don't see pointy hackle feathers or saddle feathers