Anyone fancy a guessing game?

[di]

Well,our babies from our babies are now six weeks old....and as each week has past,instead of getting more sure of their sexes I'm getting less so
Initially we thought the two black ones were definately boys and the other two definate girls,although now really wouldn't like to say...although I'm sure the white one is a girl.

Brief idea of breeds.
One of the black ones most likely has Norfolk Grey mum and Boo as Dad(NG/Maran X)
The other one could be the same,although they have different feather markings(one male and one female?)

The Honey coloured one is most definately Cream Legbar Mummy and Buff Orpington Dad...and we've rather foolishly let Daisy name her 'Honey' as we were so sure she was a she,but is the one I'm having serious doubts about

Finally...the most beautiful(can you believe she was once the ugly one?)
Dad was a Dark Brahma/Light Sussex and we're guessing Norfolk Grey or possibly Buff Orpington Mum.

What do you all think?

[RichmondHens]

Haven't a clue!!!! The CL/Orp cross is very sweet. I think I would lean towards it being a girl but not really sure.

Of course, you need to spend absolutely loads more hours watching them before you can make up your mind!

[di]

They're by far the friendliest batch we've had,so spending those hours watching them is quite easy
Strangely,this time I'm hoping that at least one is a boy...it seemed to really help when introducing our last lot to the older hens.Although there was a little bullying,nothing major.
I'm thinking that the plain black one(at the back)is a boy and the pencilled one at the front a girl.

'Honey' rather surprised me with his/her agility earlier and flapped/flew almost the whole way up to the lampshade...can't inagine a Buff Orpington managing such a feat

[Bramble-Poultry]

Oh absolutley esseintial - many many more hours - such a sacrifice on your part is going to be required!!

[its hilly]

Theyre lovely..thats what they are
My guesses
pici1 front girl, back poss boy
pici2 Hmmm, maybe either but leaning towards girl
pici3 girl, but not positive at all

Do we get a prize if we get them all right? And is it a cockeral

[di]

I'm sure I could spare a seed or two of cabbage/turnip or some other something that can be grown for the chooks....if you're only guessing at the one cockeral you can keep your eyes of him...our freezer's nearly empty

So so far...we have the two peeps I was sure would know not having a clue and Hilly thinking the same as me.

[Bramble-Poultry]

Ok Best guess:-

pencilled one at the front - girl
Black at back boy
'honey' leaning towards a boy but not 100%
White - a Girly!

[its hilly]

Well I would have said my thinking the same as you is not a good guide if Bramble hadnt voted nearly the same as me.

[di]

Ok Best guess:-

pencilled one at the front - girl
Black at back boy
'honey' leaning towards a boy but not 100%
White - a Girly!

I knew the chance of winning some turnip seeds would get you guessing

Hilly...I think we're pretty good guessrs!xx

[walldanzig]

Obviously just a guess but here goes.

1. at the back a girl(based on head shape) at the front a boy based on tail feathers
2. Front a Boy again based on the shape and at the back a girl.
3. A girlie

[Suechooks]

On my Orp bantams I checked the wing feathers very early on and decided 3 and 1. This has worked out but unfortunately its 3 boys and 1 girl - easy to know as the boys were crowing at just over 6 weeks
Now have to see whether the Speckled Sussex and laced Wyandottes work out the same - 7 girls and 3 boys. At the moment its more like 6/4 or even 5/5 but fingers crossed I was right at the beginning!
My guess for yours Di would be
1. Boy at back girl in front
2. Buff boy white girl
3 Girl
Hope you get what you want!

[RichmondHens]

In Orps I believe the key to sexing is short wing feathers + no tail/late tail means boy, long wing feathers and good tail development means girl. At least that's how I'm sexing mine and think I have two girls, one boy. With a cross though it's always harder, and with Di's chickens who are crosses of crosses, harder still.

Comb development and colouring is a give away in most cases, so look for bigger, pinker combs for boys. Also wattles will be developing by now in the boys.

[Flummery]

Well they're all gorgeous - and spoilt rotten - they have the run of the house!

[Suechooks]

In Orps I believe the key to sexing is short wing feathers + no tail/late tail means boy, long wing feathers and good tail development means girl. At least that's how I'm sexing mine and think I have two girls, one boy. With a cross though it's always harder, and with Di's chickens who are crosses of crosses, harder still.

Comb development and colouring is a give away in most cases, so look for bigger, pinker combs for boys. Also wattles will be developing by now in the boys.

Thats how I did them Sally! I was also told that the headgear is a good guide and that's worked out right too! In fact one had such red wattles that I thought he was bleeding till I realised what it was!
Any hints on Speckled sussex bantams and Laced Wyandotte bantams?!
PS I suppose you don't want a nice unrelated Buff Orp boy to go with your girls?

[di]

Well they're all gorgeous - and spoilt rotten - they have the run of the house!

Only for photos:They do get several cuddles a day but I've got far too much clutter about for them to poop all over

The Orps that we hatched last year were very obviously Boy and Girl from just a day or so old...strangely as they got older they became more similar and slightly harder to tell apart.
Honey is just a mix of CL Mum and BO Dad....the others are true 'Dis Backyard hens'
It would be nice to know which are which but that said I think we've learnt to appreciate that we can enjoy chicks for being chicks and then when they suddenly take on manly ways almost separate them emotionally from what they were.(if that makes sense?...they almost become a different creature:0)