Pullet or Cockerel? 13/14-week-old Australorp

[lilbeastpdx]

Updated pics from a nervous daddy here haha. Do y'all think she's a pullet still? Wattles and comb are still flesh colored at this age, I don't see any red. Feathering looks pretty plain. She clucks like the big girls in the coop. Thoughts?

 

[K Spot]

Pullet

 

[Michael OShay]

Pullet

I agree. )

 

[lilbeastpdx]

So that comb is not an issue? Those hackle feathers are a hen's?

I think I'm getting paranoid and am seeing roo things...after 8 of my 12 birds ended up being Roos (even the sex linked ones!) hehehe

 

[corewassen87]

So that comb is not an issue? Those hackle feathers are a hen's?

I think I'm getting paranoid and am seeing roo things...after 8 of my 12 birds ended up being Roos (even the sex linked ones!) hehehe

Yes those are hens feathers. The comb isn't an issue because it's pale yet. By that age a rooster would have a bright bright red comb.

 

[Farmgirl0422]

Once I got 6 chickens and 3 were pullets and the other 3 were cockerels. And my cockerels already had huge bright red combs and wattles. So I'm pretty sure thats a pullet.

 

[donrae]

Pullet.

 

[lilbeastpdx]

Yes those are hens feathers. The comb isn't an issue because it's pale yet. By that age a rooster would have a bright bright red comb.

Since there seem to be a lot of exceptions, is there a chance it's a late developing roo (as happened in my other cockerels)?

Yes, the comb and wattles are definitely not red. There may be a bit of peach/pink but no red at this age.

 

[lilbeastpdx]

Pullet.

Ohhhhh Donrae, I have heard that you are brilliant at these things. I daren't argue with you.

 

[donrae]

Wow, well thank you!

You know, K Spot and Michael aren't bad at this, either

.

There can always be some weird genetic issue that could keep a cockerel from developing as expected, but those things are pretty rare for the number of chicks hatched out each year. Australorps aren't known for having slow maturing cockerels, either. They're usually bold with the comb color and development pretty early. I feel pretty safe calling pullet here. Her comb will continue to get larger, plumper and turn a pretty red right before she starts giving you nice brown eggs.