6 week old Australorps - Pullet or cockerel?

[AustraNewbie]

Hi all,

I have been raising my first chickens for the past 6 weeks and love them, however... It appears they are both developing wattles and combs. Can anyone confirm I have two little roosters in my coop? Or do I need to wait for more definitive developments?

Here is a picture of the two of them. Both have similar wattle and comb growth, red colouring is identical.
Chick one (seated) - developed tail feathers first, feathers on the edge of the wings are longer than other wing feathers, very slightly raised feathers on back of the neck. Quite shy and reserved.

Chick two (standing) - smaller tail feathers, wing feathers even lengths. Very bold and inquisitive.

I will keep trying to get better photos of the little ones - they just don't stay still long enough!

Any guidance regarding their sex would be great - thanks!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Both roosters

 

[drumstick diva]

I agree

 

[BantamLover21]

Cockerels.

 

[QueenMisha]

Australorps develop wattles quick and big, but regardless of those, the shape of the head and body are screaming cockerel to me.

 

[AustraNewbie]

Thank you for the replies. That was what I was afraid of... We aren't allowed roosters so the little guys will be heading back to the farm.

 

[AustraNewbie]

Hi all,

Thanks again for your replies. Now that the chicks are a little older here are some updated photos.

Henrietta indeed appears to be a Henry - we have had some baby crowing noises around 0700am. This photo really shows his wattle and comb development.


But Priscilla is still silent... Could she/he turn out to be a hen? Or do I have one introverted and one extroverted rooster?

She/he is still the slightly larger of the two, but is far more timid and has taken to laying down a lot when Henry is more active. Excuse the wet ruffled feathers - it was 36 degrees Celsius here today and the chickens were hanging out under the sprinkler!

 

[appps]

You should be able to look for the longer neck feather by now, they should be quite different if one is a girl. There is an australorps thread here if you do a search and about a page from the end Maddog posted great comparison photo of the boy and girl feathers.

Mine are 5 weeks at the moment and look much like yours did in your original photos but without any of the red colour in their combs. I have read that the boys red up before the girls so them both doing at the same time also makes you wonder if they are both boys.

Sometimes the lower on the rung boy won't crow as much or as soon.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

In most breeds, wyandotte being an exception that comes to mind, the females wont show any red in combs until point of lay. Cockerels will start showing red starting at 5 weeks. By red I mead red, not orange or pink hue. It looks to me both your birds have red in comb. Both did at 6 weeks and both still do at 10 weeks as one would expect. Combs don't turn pale unless a bird is sick so once red will only get more red. Still both cockerels.

 

[Seafenton]

What was the outcome?