12 Week Black Australorp - Roo or Not?

[HogFoo]

We ordered nine chicks from Cackle. 10 arrived in mid-April and they just celebrated their 12 week birthdays. Three Dominiques, three Buff Orpingtons, and four (Cackle added an extra...) Black Australorps. We think nine are pullets, but one Australorp is making us wonder. Personality wise, it's a pretty mellow chicken and doesn't seem to be dominating the flock by any measure, but the comb is far more pronounced and red than on the other chickens. Any advice/thoughts would be super helpful. Here are some pictures of him/her. What do you think? Roo or pullet? I'll also post a few of the other girls (we think!) after.



Here are a few of the other Australorps for comparison.


Thanks so much for any help you can offer!

 

[CindyinSD]

I've never received a miss-sexed chick from Cackle, but nobody's perfect. I think that's a cockerel.

 

[em_dawson]

That's a boy. Sorry!

 

[HogFoo]

Thanks! So no hope then? Wondering how sure people are and how you tell this kind of thing for future reference.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

We ordered nine chicks from Cackle. 10 arrived in mid-April and they just celebrated their 12 week birthdays. Three Dominiques, three Buff Orpingtons, and four (Cackle added an extra...) Black Australorps. We think nine are pullets, but one Australorp is making us wonder. Personality wise, it's a pretty mellow chicken and doesn't seem to be dominating the flock by any measure, but the comb is far more pronounced and red than on the other chickens. Any advice/thoughts would be super helpful. Here are some pictures of him/her. What do you think? Roo or pullet? I'll also post a few of the other girls (we think!) after.

View attachment 2229017View attachment 2229018View attachment 2229019View attachment 2229021View attachment 2229022View attachment 2229023View attachment 2229024

Here are a few of the other Australorps for comparison.
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Thanks so much for any help you can offer!

#1, roo.
#2, pullet.

 

[CindyinSD]

Thanks! So no hope then? Wondering how sure people are and how you tell this kind of thing for future reference.

Sorry. It's the bright red comb and wattles. Males develop faster than females and will be sexually mature much sooner. The females will eventually have as red (but not as large) combs & wattles (when laying) but the cockerels typically outpace them by several months.

 

[CindyinSD]

If you can't or prefer not to keep a cockerel, advertise him for sale or for free. Someone will probably be willing to take him off your hands. Or, if you're okay with processing your own meat, you can have chicken & dumplings when he starts crowing.

 

[HogFoo]

Thanks for the feedback! I'm both concerned and also a little happy if that makes sense. Worried about the trouble a roo may cause, but I've also heard they add a ton to the flock so...

Guess we'll see how he develops and if he is a nice guy maybe he can stay.

 

[CindyinSD]

I'm glad it sounds like you'll be able to keep him. I don't think you'll regret it. I've had a decent number of cocks in the flock and only had trouble with a couple--not so much that I'm taking the trouble to process them immediately, but their time will come. They're a lot smaller than I--I think I can handle them.

I think you'll enjoy incubating and hatching chicks from your own flock, too. I've read that by and large, Aussie roos are pretty mellow--not that every individual will be, but maybe it ups your chances. The general consensus seems to be that you shouldn't hold and cuddle and imprint the little boys as it makes them more likely to become aggressive later on. Personally I think it's got more to do with their testosterone production, but it's something to consider.