He or she?

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tygrysek75

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I have 2 chicks which are now 9 weeks old and can't figure out if they both boys or girls.I thinking of them as the boys at the moment,as they have very strong,thick legs and acting more like the boys,but luck of their comb development is rather confusing.They both Marans,any idea as they are males or females?20120315_99_2.jpg20120315_99_8.jpg
 
Well the second one to me has a pullet shape, small comb, and the top one looks more female than male from your photos. Neither seems to have any wattle development. I have never kept marans though, so I would await the comments of someone more experienced! ;) :D
 
I echo Foxy's comments. Also confused by lack of comb and wattle on first which could otherwise be a cockerel. At 9 weeks its still a bit early for the breeds I have experience of breeding -Wyandottes and Orpingtons. Although we did have a Wyandotte crowing at 8 weeks -4 weeks before any of the others.
 
Have a look at the neck/hackle feathers - if they are round at the ends they are girls, boys have pointed ends to their neck feathers. A piece of white paper underneath the feathers will make it easier to see what you are looking at.

That said, I think they might both be pullets!
 
I would expect cuckoo Marans males of the same age to be much lighter than these two birds. Even single Factor cuckoo males usually have noticeably narrower barring and a lighter ground colour than their sisters.
As Philcott also points out,if they are males, longer, narrower and more pointed feathers should be appearing on their necks, saddles and shoulders at this age also.
 
Thank you all for making a comment.Will look at theese feathers tommorow.I have 1 cockrell in this group(difrent breed) and he has already coloured feathers and bigger comb,but with theese 2 is really hard as both males and feamels has very simular colouring.They have massive,strong legs and sizewise they both big as my other cockrel.they feathered in slower rate than other pullets too,so this is why I was thinking that they cockrels.Are cuckoo marans slow to fether up and getting adult features generally?
 
Likely to be a breed variance, some feather up more quickly than others, within a strain you may be more able to detect males from females through feathering. There is a slow feathering gene, but wouldn't rely on it! :D
 
hi all i think you may be right they look like males to me. i do have two cuckoo maran hens and these two look diferent cant quite put my finger on it however could be wrong one thing though a my dad told me years ago that an experienced poultry man can tell by looking at the eyes but he did not enlarge on it. uncle fox
 
I kept cuckoo Marans for a few years and could always pick the boys out at about four weeks of age from their combs and on that basis these are girls apart from the fact that their pattern is very un male like as well.
But I'm looking at the saddle hackles that are drooping at the side of their tails, a male trait, tis puzzling me considerable!

Please don't take this the wrong way but you sure they are pure Marans?

Has the bottom one got a bent toe or is it the way its standing?
 
In responce to ccm question I think I have pure Marans.I get hatching eggs from darkbrowneggs to test fertility of the eggs.Another question is do males have any shiny feathers(I would expect to have at least few by now on them)?
You spoted this crooked toes of the chick,he was born like this(I had noticed this on 2 or 3 day after hatching when they started to walk propely).I not sure if its genetic or incubation fault.
I was looking at the feathers and hadt seen any poiny ones.
 
Say girls too :-)17 I hatched out a marans couple of years ago, was convinced it was a boy, had really thick legs, same colour as yours - she lays large brown eggs :lol: lovely girl.
 
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