Black Australorp.. Hen or Roo?!?!

MatskevichFarm

In the Brooder
Mar 13, 2016
26
1
32
Hey guys!
Could anyone tell me if they tell if this guy is a Roo or a hen.. It's funny, as a baby chick he/she was the most quiet and actually one of the smallest, but now he/she is very territorial and sometimes aggressive to the smaller hens. He/she is about 16 weeks.
Here are some pictures.
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That is definitely a hen. At 16 weeks, you would see much bigger combs and wattles, as well as saddle and hackle feathers in roosters. She is likely working out the pecking order with her fellow hens, which would explain her behavior.
 
Thank you everybody!
It's a relief to hear that. Unfortunately in our neighborhood we are not allowed to keep roosters.. And raising those guys from baby chicks would break my heart to let one of them go.
Jus out of curiosity, do they stop pecking after the pecking order is established, and if so when does it happen?!?
 
My Australorps were really mean to my other hems for a while, would jump them for no reason, peck and chase, etc. And would occasionally peck me. i thought i would have to get rid of them. But then after they started laying and had laid for a little bit they magically stopped being mean. So i think they'll work through it eventually. They're just hormonal teenagers right now :)
 
They definitely look like teenagers!! A lot of attitude with everybody... Hahahah! And did yours KDOGG331 start laying?!?
Thank you so much.
 
Thank you everybody!
It's a relief to hear that. Unfortunately in our neighborhood we are not allowed to keep roosters.. And raising those guys from baby chicks would break my heart to let one of them go.
Jus out of curiosity, do they stop pecking after the pecking order is established, and if so when does it happen?!?
They don't stop pecking, but it does become less frequent. If they want a spot where another chicken is, they will peck the other chicken's tail to get her to move.
 
Yup, they'll be like that for a little while but hopefully should mellow out :) and I have Barred Rock, Buff Orpingtons, Black Australorps, and Easter Eggers, and one EE and one BO started the weekend before Easter, around 22 weeks, and the others all started within a few weeks after and have been laying pretty steadily since. I get between 6 and 8 eggs a day (we have 8) but occasionally only 5. One EE in particular is most consistent. It's usually 2 of the brown egg layers or 1 brown layer and 1 EE that take a break. But yeah, they didn't calm down immediately after beginning laying but within a couple weeks and they're really good layers :)

No problem!
 

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