11 week old Cuckoo orpington; hen or roo?

[SayChicken]

Hello orpington owners! I’m hoping you’ll be able to definitively tell me if I should still keep hope that my 11 wk old Cuckoo Orp is a hen. I was told she was an auto sexed female black/cuckoo chick so I never second guessed the development of its comb and wattles. Then I realized how my lavender (unsexed chick of the same age) had no such development. I sent a photo to the breeder who now says it looks to be male. Please see the picture of the lavender and the cuckoo. Is there any way still that the cuckoo at 11 weeks old might still be a hen despite her comb and waddle development?

 

[Backyardhomestead921]

I am pretty sure the cuckoo is a rooster.

 

[HappyClucker7]

Cockerel for sure

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Hello orpington owners! I’m hoping you’ll be able to definitively tell me if I should still keep hope that my 11 wk old Cuckoo Orp is a hen. I was told she was an auto sexed female black/cuckoo chick so I never second guessed the development of its comb and wattles. Then I realized how my lavender (unsexed chick of the same age) had no such development. I sent a photo to the breeder who now says it looks to be male. Please see the picture of the lavender and the cuckoo. Is there any way still that the cuckoo at 11 weeks old might still be a hen despite her comb and waddle development?

Agree this one is male with this much development at 11 weeks. You mention the breeder thought so too, so really should not be much doubt. Can you return him to the breeder (if you want to of course) as you were sold a "sexed" female?

 

[InterestingChickens]

Cockerel.

 

[3KillerBs]

I was told she was an auto sexed female black/cuckoo chick so I never second guessed the development of its comb and wattles.

When a non-barred rooster is bred to a barred hen all barred chicks are male.

If someone sold you a barred chick from such a cross as a pullet then they were confused about which way the cross worked.

 

[SayChicken]

Agree this one is male with this much development at 11 weeks. You mention the breeder thought so too, so really should not be much doubt. Can you return him to the breeder (if you want to of course) as you were sold a "sexed" female?

Good idea! You are right! Voice of reason even thought everyone else pretty much is saying the same thing. I just need to stop holding on to false hope and move this one on. It’s hard when you only have a small flock and losing one means you can only replace it by one.

 

[SayChicken]

When a non-barred rooster is bred to a barred hen all barred chicks are male.

If someone sold you a barred chick from such a cross as a pullet then they were confused about which way the cross worked.

Thank you for your answer. This was the chick. Is this what a barred chick looks like? If there is any chance it’s a faster developing female I don’t want to rehome it yet. What do you think?

 

[3KillerBs]

Thank you for your answer. This was the chick. Is this what a barred chick looks like? If there is any chance it’s a faster developing female I don’t want to rehome it yet. What do you think?

IIRC, and I'm not 100% up on the nuances of chicken genetics, the spot on the head means that the chick is going to be barred.

Soon the little wing and tail feathers will come in and show the pattern for sure.