16 week old buff orphingtons

[DMJ1123]

Hello! The girls are growing up so quickly. I've noticed that one of them looks significantly different than the others. I'm wondering if we have a rooster on our hands. Looking for some insight!

 

[Kdlevesque]

I love my BO girls! They are such a wonderful breed! I teach school and I’ve got 2 that don’t mind being held so I take them to school periodically. The kids love it. With that being said, I can’t tell the gender BUT one of mine matured really fast and one of my chicken friends said she was a rooster. She laid our first egg at 16 weeks.

 

[Kdlevesque]

The first pic is her at 12 weeks. She had a way bigger comb than the others. The second pic is her at 3 1/2 years old. Sadly, she passed away last week. I might be able to tell better if you had a side view of the tail feathers.

 

[DMJ1123]

So sorry about your chick! Here is a side view.

 

[Kdlevesque]

It looks like a pullet to me. I would say she will probably be laying very soon. Does she do the submissive squat when you get close? This pic is off the internet, so not one of mine but this is what mine all started doing about a week before she laid her first egg. BO are known to be late bloomers but looking back, My first egg came in at 16 weeks.

 

[DMJ1123]

Thank you for the input. We haven't noticed that behavior yet! Hopefully we'll have some eggs soon

 

[ColtHandorf]

Hmmm...I'm going to guess cockerel. A photo without the wire in the way would be best for a positive ID though.

 

[cstephens1987]

Hello! The girls are growing up so quickly. I've noticed that one of them looks significantly different than the others. I'm wondering if we have a rooster on our hands. Looking for some insight!

Can you get a clear saddle pic? The wattles and comb do look significantly redder and the hackles are slightly darker but neither is as pronounced as I would expect of a cockerel at that age. Saddle pic should help to clarify though. May just be an early maturing pullet