12 week old black australorps. Gender?

[maryn7]

I think she's probably a girl. My girl got a comb early on, and then she grew into it and it stayed put at about what you have until a couple days before she started laying - just suddenly got way redder, bigger, and her wattles popped.

I'll say: you're not wrong; it's a lot of comb. But (in all the frantic perusing I did of the forums when I thought mine was a boy) I've never seen a cockerel BA of that age with that *little* comb. As 3KillerBs said, they seem to get their combs very early.

 

[XAshleyX]

I think she's probably a girl. My girl got a comb early on, and then she grew into it and it stayed put at about what you have until a couple days before she started laying - just suddenly got way redder, bigger, and her wattles popped.

I'll say: you're not wrong; it's a lot of comb. But (in all the frantic perusing I did of the forums when I thought mine was a boy) I've never seen a cockerel BA of that age with that *little* comb. As 3KillerBs said, they seem to get their combs very early.

Thank you for the response! she's just a bit different from the rest. Super skittish, larger and redder comb, will sometimes be the last to start running to a designated place. But I have also seen BA males of the same age with a much larger comb! I'm still a bit concerned! I'll post an update in a few weeks!

 

[maryn7]

The exciting part about raising chickens for eggs is that you're terrified they're boys until the moment they lay. Good luck! (And do post updated pics in a week or two; I think it'll be clear by 14 weeks)

 

[XAshleyX]

The exciting part about raising chickens for eggs is that you're terrified they're boys until the moment they lay. Good luck! (And do post updated pics in a week or two; I think it'll be clear by 14 weeks)

I will! Thank you!

 

[Yard Farmer]

One trick I have for getting photos of my more skittish chickens is to put them into a pet carrier in the coop overnight and get the photo in the morning with me holding the bird and my DH or one of my sons manning the camera.

Also, if you can't see the saddles clearly on a black bird you can put your hand or a piece of paper underneath them.

Male.

 

[3KillerBs]

Male.

Yes, that's my sample photo showing people how to find the saddles on a bird whose color makes them difficult to see.

 

[Painted Calls]

Pullets

 

[Yard Farmer]

Yes, that's my sample photo showing people how to find the saddles on a bird whose color makes them difficult to see.

Oh no!
I looked at the wrong photo... Sorry you all...

 

[Painted Calls]

Oh no!
I looked at the wrong photo... Sorry you all...

Pretty sure we all do this - no worries!

 

[3KillerBs]

Oh no!
I looked at the wrong photo... Sorry you all...

No problem.