My two maran chicks are only a few weeks old and while there is only one way to absolutely know for sure (wait until the cock crows) I’m going to go out on a limb and say that Mrs. Bucket appears to be more of a Mr. Bucket. Here’s why
The stance.
This is probably the biggest indicator for me of whether a chick is a male or female. The boys, at rest, tend to stand more upright with their chest thrust forward. The girls tend to be lower and more crouched.
Do you see how the back slopes up? If you measured it, you’d find that the back slopes at a near 45 degree angle. And while we’re at it, let’s take one more look at that tail bling.
Josephine, on the other hand’s back angle is not quite as severe.
The feet.
Boys tend to have larger feet and thicker legs than the girls. Note that Dick insisted this chick was female because she/he had feathers on her legs. Dick’s roosters do not have feathered legs. And while both chicks do have feathers on their legs, Mrs. Bucket definitely has far fewer than Josephine.
Mrs. Bucket’s feet (above) are *slightly* larger, but note how much less feathers she has.
Of course, I could still be wrong, one never really knows until the end does one? Well, except for this little clue.
The clincher.
Take a gander at this look. It is this, above all else, that convinces me Mrs. Bucket is male. I’ve seen this look before…
from all of my teenaged sons.
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Wendy Thomas writes about the lessons learned while raising children and chickens in New Hampshire. Contact her at [email protected]
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