Two brooders, should I combine?

[Esrun]

We have two separate brooders right now. One brooder has a hen and two chicks. The other brooder has five chicks. I suspect one of the chicks with the hen might be a rooster, and will inevitably need to leave our home. I am not able to put the hen and chicks outside yet. All of the chicks are roughly 2 weeks old, what makes the most sense here? Put my hen back outside and put the two chicks in with the five chicks so that when I have to rehome the rooster, the chick left will have bonded with other chicks? Or continue to keep them separate for now, and hope that the rooster is not actually a rooster?

 

[Esrun]

Chick in question…

 

[NatJ]

Or continue to keep them separate for now, and hope that the rooster is not actually a rooster?

Chick in question…

He is definitely male, with that much red comb at that age.

Put my hen back outside and put the two chicks in with the five chicks so that when I have to rehome the rooster, the chick left will have bonded with other chicks?

To me, that sounds like the best thing to do in this situation.

 

[Esrun]

He is definitely male, with that much red comb at that age.



To me, that sounds like the best thing to do in this situation.

OK, I’ll have to plan for something like this. One of those pictures the sun is shining from behind the chick so it looks a little redder than it is. is that the only thing that might be questionable is that it’s very red? I’ll try to take a picture when I go back downstairs to the brooder. Either way, I’m thinking this might be the best plan to just put them all together and if it turns out to be a hen, then lucky for us and if not, we have a back up plan will it be stressful for my hand to put her outside without her chicks like that?

 

[NatJ]

One of those pictures the sun is shining from behind the chick so it looks a little redder than it is. is that the only thing that might be questionable is that it’s very red?

The comb is big and red, compared to what I would expect in a female. The sun may make it look more or less red, but is not going to change the size.

What breed or mix is that chick? A few specific breeds and mixes can also be sexed by the color of their feathers, and if he happens to be one of them, that would be a way to double-check that he is male.

I’ll try to take a picture when I go back downstairs to the brooder.

Maybe take a picture of the other chick too, the one that you do not think is male. Comparing chicks will often make sex-specific differences more obvious.

 

[FarmerGirl101]

I would put the chicks together and put your hen back out with the flock.

 

[Esrun]

The comb is big and red, compared to what I would expect in a female. The sun may make it look more or less red, but is not going to change the size.

What breed or mix is that chick? A few specific breeds and mixes can also be sexed by the color of their feathers, and if he happens to be one of them, that would be a way to double-check that he is male.



Maybe take a picture of the other chick too, the one that you do not think is male. Comparing chicks will often make sex-specific differences more obvious.

They are barred rocks. Does this help?

 

[FarmerGirl101]

They are barred rocks. Does this help?

The chick in the first 2 photos is likely a pullet and the last 2 is a cockerel as mentioned before.

 

[NatJ]

They are barred rocks. Does this help?

Yes. With Barred Rocks and a few similar breeds, males have more white than females. As I look at the newest pictures, the male definitely does have a bigger comb than his sister, and his comb is redder, and he also has much more white in his feathers. So that makes a pretty good set of indications that he is really a male.

 

[Esrun]

Yes. With Barred Rocks and a few similar breeds, males have more white than females. As I look at the newest pictures, the male definitely does have a bigger comb than his sister, and his comb is redder, and he also has much more white in his feathers. So that makes a pretty good set of indications that he is really a male.

He is an absolute sweetheart. Sad I can’t keep him