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Jo-Jo the Androgynous Chicken: Sex my Black Australorp

post #1 of 21
Thread Starter 

This is Josephine.

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/8116/jo5jo5.jpg


Josephine is a 16-week-old Black Australorp that we always thought was a pullet, but now we don't know WHAT she is.  Very early, she asserted herself as Head Chicken over our other five girls and began developing a large comb and wattles.  She also has striking bright green iridescence on her very roosterly tail feathers.

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/9083/jo4hr0.jpg


The problem is that while she doesn't seem 100% ladylike, she also doesn't show any signs that definitively point towards roosterhood.  She has absolutely no spurs developing, and my husband has read in some places that by this age they should be very visible.  Then again, I've heard that they may start developing later.

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/9738/jo3bu5.jpg


She also doesn't seem to be learning to crow at all, although we've heard that that may be something that comes later, too.  BUT there were a few afternoons where she would suddenly stand up, flap her wings around and yell HAAAW!  That was a couple weeks ago and not a peep from her since.  Her vent also looks feminine, although as you can tell, we are new to this.

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/5797/josittingbn6.jpg


I don't know how Black Australorps are sexed as chicks, but here she is as a baby:

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/3786/jo1me4.jpg


And here she is at four weeks old:

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/5540/jo2rj5.jpg


Please, chicken experts, help us!  We'd really like to know what we're dealing with here because we don't particularly want a rooster.  I'm so confused because she doesn't look that different from pictures of mature BA hens I've seen, but then I see pictures of pullets her same age, like in this thread, and don't know what to think.

At least her name is easily changed to Joseph roll

post #2 of 21

Definitely rooster.  You can see the saddle feathers in the first two pics.

post #3 of 21
Thread Starter 

Oh great.  Not what I wanted to hear, but I knew I would probably hear it anyway.  Please humor a newbie and explain what saddle feathers are?  I've never heard of them.

post #4 of 21

I second the Joseph vote. 

Saddle feathers are the long, thin feathers you see on his back, right at the base of his tail. 


Em

SAHM of 2 awesome kiddos and a very patient and tolerant husband.

Plus ... 40-some chickens, 3 ducks, 8 geese, 2 guinea, 2 bunnies, 3 goats, 2 dogs and eleventeen cats.

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SAHM of 2 awesome kiddos and a very patient and tolerant husband.

Plus ... 40-some chickens, 3 ducks, 8 geese, 2 guinea, 2 bunnies, 3 goats, 2 dogs and eleventeen cats.

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post #5 of 21
Thread Starter 

Thank you, Em.  I looked around for a description of saddle feathers and I'm gathering that they are much shorter and more rounded on hens, right?

Now I'm wondering how he was mis-sexed because he was in with a bunch of other pullets when we got him.  Are BAs difficult to sex?  And can anyone explain the total absence of spurs?  Will he develop them later?

post #6 of 21

The saddle feathers scream rooster, as well as the sickle feathers are starting to curle downwards.

post #7 of 21

Is a boy.  wink  He may lack the spurs and large comb/wattle development, but he does have the tale-tale pointy saddle & hackle feathers and long curvy tail feathers.

For the crowing, do you have another rooster around that does crow?  Often that's how they learn, is by hearing other males crow.  Otherwise it will take him awhile to get the urge to try it.

SPPA, APA, & ABA Member || My Dragon Scroll

"We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." - Declaration of Independence
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SPPA, APA, & ABA Member || My Dragon Scroll

"We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." - Declaration of Independence
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post #8 of 21

Definately rooster! Enjoy him!

President of the Welsummer Club of North America & BYC Member since 4/11/2002 and Appenzeller Spitzhaubens

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President of the Welsummer Club of North America & BYC Member since 4/11/2002 and Appenzeller Spitzhaubens

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post #9 of 21

i'm so glad you posted this - I have the exact same austrlorp in my back yard too... bought out of the 'asst pullet' bin at TSC about 3.5 months ago.

Has very suspicious looknig red combs and wattles and saddle feathers too.  Been trying to 'deny' that it's a roo myself...

Arlee453 is Susan, mom to  (in no particular order...) 4 humans, a big-ole bunch of chickens, chicks, etc, 7 dogs, 3 cats, parakeets, peafowl, a few ducks and 1 neglected husband...
Visit my blog/webcam webpage:
Chick-N-Cam:  http://arlee453.camstreams.com/
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Arlee453 is Susan, mom to  (in no particular order...) 4 humans, a big-ole bunch of chickens, chicks, etc, 7 dogs, 3 cats, parakeets, peafowl, a few ducks and 1 neglected husband...
Visit my blog/webcam webpage:
Chick-N-Cam:  http://arlee453.camstreams.com/
Reply
post #10 of 21

Sorry but I have to agree.
Here's our Australorp hen, Olympia, at 19 weeks:
http://www.sailzora.com/olympia19wks.jpg

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