# how to tell young c*ck from chicken



## pixie0zzy (Mar 28, 2009)

hey 

i have been given some chickens today they are ment to be 12 week old perkins

i have been told that i have two cocks and a poss another cock and a couple of hens 

is there any way i can tell for my self as not sure if been given all males they seem really happy together but want to check

beth


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## marthaMoo (May 4, 2007)

The crests on their heads are usually a good give away. The males crests should be bigger than the females. Its been a little while since I had chooks, but think you should be able to tell around now or over the next few weeks.

I'm sure one of the more experienced chicken people will be along shortly : )


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## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

Easiest way is to get some pics up. At that age the cocks should be more developed than the hens.
I hope you've thought about what you're going to do with the cocks. They aren't as easy to rehome as you think, their crows are very shrill (being a bantam) and Pekin cocks will probably fight being the peppery little birds they are.


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

you`ll be ok for a while with more than one male as they`ve been bought up togetrher,
WW3 might break out in spring when its breeding season.

post some pictures up, at 12 weeks old it should be very obvious what sexes you`ve got, thats if they are pekins.


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## pixie0zzy (Mar 28, 2009)




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## pixie0zzy (Mar 28, 2009)

are they perkins or someting else???


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## vonnie (Aug 20, 2007)

Pekins, not perkins. And I'd say they do look like pekins or pekin crosses.

I've only ever had pekin hens so I'm probably completely wrong on this but I'd say first and last possibly hens. The rest do look like cockerels to me.

Sorry to say I can't see any way you'll be able to keep them all together once they mature. Can I ask where you got them and why you ended up with all those cocks? :lol2:


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## pixie0zzy (Mar 28, 2009)

Was given they because the guys dog thought they where dinner
But Was told they where two cock rest hens but having 2 wasnt A prob as was going to splitany way but this could be a prob lol two many cocks


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## vonnie (Aug 20, 2007)

Well hopefully I'm way out. The reason I guessed that was purely from the size of the combs really. A rubbish picture but here's my adult lavender pekin hen. Very small comb.










On the plus side, pekins make great pets. They can tame down really well and have great characters!


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## pixie0zzy (Mar 28, 2009)

does everyone else think the same vonnie and what age do th start laying 

beth


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

i agree.
all look male except the last one.
the first one looks kinda in between at the mo, short comb but the dangly bits look long, so could go either way.

dont mean to offend you but they`re not the right shape for pekins, so they`re either pet quality pekins or theres a bit of something else in the mix.

they usually start to lay at around the 6 month old mark, they lay quite well for bantams, pure breeds dont lay in the winter though, and they do go broody quite well and can sit quite a few eggs for their size. 
mine can hatch 10 easily


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## pixie0zzy (Mar 28, 2009)

it dont bother me what breed they are but the pictures ive seen of pekins look huge compeard to theses i know there young but the seem really small


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

jeez... we yanks call them roosters...


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

pekins are supposed to be small compact and round, like pincushions.
they should have short backs, round fluffy bums and you shouldnt be able to see their legs, just hteir feet feathers poking out.

if you`re happy with them thats fine. like the colours of the first one, its like a millefleur with a bit too much white on


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## pixie0zzy (Mar 28, 2009)

would perfer if they where hens and not cocks as thats what i wanted lol


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## SilverSky (Oct 2, 2010)

i'm sorry but lots of cocks there!

this is a pekin hen...













note very small pale comb and no 'dangley bits' on the bottom of the face


this is a cockerel (a frizzled version but same either way)













notice the large red comb that goes quite far back on the head, and big dangley bits!

i think only the last one of yours is a hen


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## Dee_Williams (Aug 15, 2010)

they might be sablepoot crosses or something. tbh from the pictures i thought they were all cocks but it is hard ot tell from the pics.
another thing to look at is pointed feather ends on the neck feathers and either side of the main tail feathers if they are male. females tend ot have rounded feather ends.


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## pixie0zzy (Mar 28, 2009)

Guess was used big time then and massivly lied too how long can i keep them together before the fighting


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## Dee_Williams (Aug 15, 2010)

i would double check all the sexes with someone local and knowledgeable and get rid of as soon as possible.


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## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

pixie0zzy said:


> Guess was used big time then and massivly lied too how long can i keep them together before the fighting


I'm very sorry but I think you may be right. They really are of poor quality, I wouldn't even class them as pet quality (not that they aren't beautiful birds, because they are, it just makes them very very hard to rehome). I'm afraid you may have to, or find someone who can, cull them off. They all look pretty cockerely to me but I'm not certain on the Millefleur-type, the first one. As for how long before the fighting kicks off, who knows? So many cockerels in such a small space it won't be long.
And to Habu. Technically a cock becomes a rooster after the first moult or at about 1 year old as with hens and pullets.
Please don't let this put you off keeping chickens, they are amazing creatures. Speak to a decent breeder or to someone knowledgeable and they can put you in touch with or source some nice pullets for you.


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## pixie0zzy (Mar 28, 2009)

poor cocks are needing homes pm if any one interested


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## The Roach Hut (Mar 29, 2008)

pixie0zzy said:


> hey
> 
> i have been given some chickens today they are ment to be 12 week old perkins
> 
> ...


card them! get a piece of white card and put the neck feather over it, if they are pointed u got a cock if they are rounded u got a hen


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

i prefer saying rooster...

"you want to see my big rooster" just sounds better...:whistling2:


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## mstypical (Feb 16, 2011)

pixie0zzy said:


> poor cocks are needing homes pm if any one interested


If you weren't 10 million miles away i'd take one been looking for a bird for the garden for ages


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