3 week old Welsummer, hopefully not a roo?

[wroblow]

I have a sinking feeling that my one Welsummer is a roo....if so I will be really disappointed because it's my only one and I was really excited about having a Welsummer in the flock.

Can anyone help me determine the sex? The comb is what's scaring me.

 

[fshinggrl]

Typically welsummers will have a strong V on the top of their head and 'eyeliner.' There does seem to be some exceptions. Here is a picture of a cockerel that I have... he was 1 month old in the photo.

eta: I would suspect you have a little cockerel there.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Hard to see the chest coloring, but I suspect cockerel. Cockerels will have black/red mix on their chests and pullets will have a salmon color on their chests.

See here, cockerel front - pullet back:

 

[wroblow]

oh drat! well the chest feathers aren't really developed enough to tell yet (although I'm sure in 2 or 3 days they will be), but the small comb on that pullet in the picture makes my Welsummer look very roo-ish indeed

Although I don't have another one to compare it to here......I'll cross my fingers that the chest comes in salmon, but it's sounding pretty grim. I have a RIR with a bigger comb too, which is disheartening because that would only leave me with 3 of my 5 chicks (in my county you aren't allowed to have roos).

 

[EweSheep]

At this point, I am guessing roo. Lets wait to see the chest feathers to come in before you decide to give him a good home.

 

[wroblow]

well, he's definitely a roo, there's a black stripe of feathers starting at his neck and running down to his chest along with dark reddish feathers all around his chest area. bummer.

I am going to take him to the feed store for re-homing on Sunday. On the bright side the local feed store had Barred Rock and Blue Cochin chicks this week and I snatched one of each up (I really wanted a Barred Rock about 3 years ago, but the chick I got turned out roo too).

Thank you for all the help, the pictures comparing really helped. Crossing my fingers with the rest of the chicks!

 

[HogbackMtnChickns]

I wouldn't give up hope yet. Your chick has sharply defined V on its head. I have 5 Welsummer chicks. One of them is clearly a roo, but he never had a V nearly so defined as your chick does. One of my pullets was not as sharp as your chick's V. I would keep your chick for at least a couple more weeks. My roo has a much larger comb than the girls now at 6 weeks, he has wattles, and his feathers are shinier. His chest feathers are still coming in, but he has black patches. The girls are further along in the feathering, with no black, and their wattles are not visible at all. If he is a boy, you will definitely know in a couple weeks. You may have a roo, but maybe not.

 

[windy acre farm]

RIR roos can be aggresive as well Hopefully you can sell or give away...

 

[SuperHens]

well, he's definitely a roo, there's a black stripe of feathers starting at his neck and running down to his chest along with dark reddish feathers all around his chest area. bummer.

I am going to take him to the feed store for re-homing on Sunday. On the bright side the local feed store had Barred Rock and Blue Cochin chicks this week and I snatched one of each up (I really wanted a Barred Rock about 3 years ago, but the chick I got turned out roo too).

Thank you for all the help, the pictures comparing really helped. Crossing my fingers with the rest of the chicks!

 

[SuperHens]

Was it definitely a Roo?
I have a single welsummer too... at 3 weeks, has quite the comb too...