Help! Is this Buff Orpington male or female?

[chickenholdthewaffles]

I hatched a straight run and all of the cockerels had bright red combs and wattles and evidence of hackle feathers around 8 weeks old. I sold a few pullets and now I’m receiving photos of one of my pullets I sold that has a curly tail feather! All of the cockerels in this hatch have prominent hackles and large red combs, as well as a darker golden color. This bird (like all of my pullets) has lighter feathers that are blunt, and no cockerel characteristics beyond this single curled tail feather (that I can see). Has anyone ever seen this? Please let me know your thoughts.

 

[Fangeddeer]

Never had this chicken before but it does look like a female! I might be wrong though

 

[Violanna]

female. Males have a larger comb at this age and saddle feathers.. BO can look pretty similar

 

[LaFleche]

This bird has strange feathering. I can see a few pointy feathers in the saddle and hackle region while the face says female.

But the rather fluffy ears do not fit either.

Maybe damaged ovaries or similar.
Did they have a respiratory disease as chicks?

ETA: How old when the pictures were taken?

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

Looks like a pullet, just with an odd tail feather.

 

[Sussex19]

Pullet. She just has messy feathering imo.

 

[Tonyroo]

Is it an English Orpington?

 

[chickenholdthewaffles]

This bird has strange feathering. I can see a few pointy feathers in the saddle and hackle region while the face says female.

But the rather fluffy ears do not fit either.

Maybe damaged ovaries or similar.
Did they have a respiratory disease as chicks?

ETA: How old when the pictures were taken?

Very strange! I’ve never seen this happen. This bird is 17 weeks old. My males from this hatch look very much like males. This feather is bizarre!

 

[chickenholdthewaffles]

Is it an English Orpington?

It’s supposed to be. I got the eggs from a person who breeds standard buff orpingtons for show.

 

[LaFleche]

Very strange! I’ve never seen this happen. This bird is 17 weeks old. My males from this hatch look very much like males. This feather is bizarre!

Well, at 17 weeks you will know soon enough, whatever gender(s) it will turn out to be.