7 week old Australop- pullet or cockerel

[NoNeck]

Hi,

I have 6 australops that are 7 weeks old. I am starting to think that maybe 2 of them are cockerels. They have bright red combs and the combs are bigger than the other babies.
One is a grey australop and one in a black australop.

Hopefully these photos are helpful. They were free ranging with my older hens so it was hard to get a good photo.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Boys

 

[Rose Quartz]

in the picture with 3 the middle one looks like a girl to me, but the rest look like boys.

 

[NoNeck]

Hi,

I have 6 australops that are 7 weeks old. I am starting to think that maybe 2 of them are cockerels. They have bright red combs and the combs are bigger than the other babies.
One is a grey australop and one in a black australop.

Hopefully these photos are helpful. They were free ranging with my older hens so it was hard to get a good photo.

I

Boys

I also have my suspicions about another chick if you could help please. This one is the same age but significantly smaller than the rest, however the comb is whats throwing me off.

 

[3KillerBs]

Those big combs are *almost certainly* boys. How early did they show up?

I can often tell my Blue Australorp boys at 3 weeks, then they go through a confusing stage from about 5-7 weeks, and by 8 weeks it's clear again.

Of course different lines may differ.

 

[Dottie the Chicken]

I'm guessing boys. Those are big combs on a 7 week old, especially comparing to the female in some of the pictures.

 

[Meri Maura]

Hi,

I have 6 australops that are 7 weeks old. I am starting to think that maybe 2 of them are cockerels. They have bright red combs and the combs are bigger than the other babies.
One is a grey australop and one in a black australop.

Hopefully these photos are helpful. They were free ranging with my older hens so it was hard to get a good photo.

All of them are cockerels. The last photo in the middle is a hen.

 

[NoNeck]

Those big combs are *almost certainly* boys. How early did they show up?

I can often tell my Blue Australorp boys at 3 weeks, then they go through a confusing stage from about 5-7 weeks, and by 8 weeks it's clear again.

Of course different lines may differ.

I started noticing the combs more when they were about 4 weeks old. What are your thoughts on my other australop.. the smallest one of the flock. I posted a reply yesterday afternoon with the photos of that chick. I am torn on this one

 

[3KillerBs]

I started noticing the combs more when they were about 4 weeks old. What are your thoughts on my other australop.. the smallest one of the flock. I posted a reply yesterday afternoon with the photos of that chick. I am torn on this one

That big comb looks male.

If he's undersized compared to the others, I personally wouldn't plan on breeding him.

 

[sybonbon]

What was the outcome?