Alleged Australorps - Pullets or Cockerels?

[MickWithChicks]

My wife is a kindergarten teacher and her school participates in a school hatching program every year. The hatchery brings in eggs and picks up any unwanted birds at the end of the 4 week period. We ended up with 6 chicks, 3 Australorps and 3 ISA Browns. They're now 9 weeks old.

2 of the Australorps have me scratching my head. #1 is the smallest of the entire bunch with the smallest feet, but has the biggest wattles and a very developed comb. #2 is the largest of the lot but has a brown chest which is indicative of a female black sex-link. If the Australorps are actually black sex-links, then the only one with a black chest is the small sized, large wattled, little dude.

So just wondering if I can get a little help identifying a) actual breed and b) the gender of the two.

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#1

Middle front in the above. He wouldn't let me get close enough to get a good foot photo, this is the best I could do.

The large wattles/comb, the long tail feathers, the black chest (if a black sex-link) are all indicative of a cockerel. The comparatively small feet however, is a bit confusing.

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#2

Large wattles and comb, very brown chest.

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Looking at the 6 of them together, here's my guess:

Back row:
Cockerel ISA

Front Row:
Pullet Black Australorp(?), Pullet Black Sex Link(?), Cockerel Black Australorp(?), Pullet ISA, Cockerel ISA.

 

[rIrs roost]

I feel pretty sure that in the first pic at that age with the red comb is a cockerel.

 

[MickWithChicks]

I feel pretty sure that in the first pic at that age with the red comb is a cockerel.

Yeah, that's my thoughts too. I would have liked to have had 2 pullets of each breed and 1 cockerel, so hopefully the one with the brown chest (#2) is female. I'll be picking up a couple more ISA pullets on Wednesday next week, so I get to experience the "integration" phase of chicken ownership. Fun times

 

[rIrs roost]

Yeah, that's my thoughts too. I would have liked to have had 2 pullets of each breed and 1 cockerel, so hopefully the one with the brown chest (#2) is female. I'll be picking up a couple more ISA pullets on Wednesday next week, so I get to experience the "integration" phase of chicken ownership. Fun times

That can be tough. You are going to keep them in a brooder until they're feathered before integration right? Even after that read as much as you can on the subject. I'll be glad to answer any question that you have if I'm able. And if I don't know it, I'll try to find someone who does.

 

[MickWithChicks]

That can be tough. You are going to keep them in a brooder until they're feathered before integration right? Even after that read as much as you can on the subject. I'll be glad to answer any question that you have if I'm able. And if I don't know it, I'll try to find someone who does.

The ones I'm picking up will be 12 weeks next week, my current ones will be 10 weeks next week, so the new ones will be a little older (and presumably larger), but will be coming from a breeder and used to being in large groups. Our current flock have been together since hatching, so it's them I'm more worried about.

I'm extending the coup and pen this weekend and there will be a gate between them, so they'll be next to eachother and able to smell/see/hear eachother, but they'll physically separated by chicken wire, and their food sources will be separate. Hopefully another 4 weeks later I'll be able to open the gate and let them be friends.

The longterm plan is to have a nice large chicken run for them to access, and have the gate almost permanently open. I'll probably have a try at a 3 rooster bachelor pad as well, but not sure how far their crows will travel. Our nearest neighbours are a good 100 meters away.

 

[Hybridchucks]

I feel pretty sure that in the first pic at that age with the red comb is a cockerel.

2x maybe the second one too?

 

[rIrs roost]

The ones I'm picking up will be 12 weeks next week, my current ones will be 10 weeks next week, so the new ones will be a little older (and presumably larger), but will be coming from a breeder and used to being in large groups. Our current flock have been together since hatching, so it's them I'm more worried about.

I'm extending the coup and pen this weekend and there will be a gate between them, so they'll be next to eachother and able to smell/see/hear eachother, but they'll physically separated by chicken wire, and their food sources will be separate. Hopefully another 4 weeks later I'll be able to open the gate and let them be friends.

The longterm plan is to have a nice large chicken run for them to access, and have the gate almost permanently open. I'll probably have a try at a 3 rooster bachelor pad as well, but not sure how far their crows will travel. Our nearest neighbours are a good 100 meters away.

Oh you shouldn't have much trouble at all since they'll be separated with chicken wire to start with. Sounds like you've done your homework. Some people just do things on a whim lol. If you can freerange them after a couple weeks that would help too. By then they should know which side is theirs and go back to it before dark. Good luck with them.

 

[MickWithChicks]

2x maybe the second one too?

Hoping not the second one, but posted it because it has some very male traits. I'm hoping it's just advanced in its development though. Someone in my introductory post suggested the brown chest is a black sex-link and I'd picked that up when doing some reading through this sub-forum too. I think I'll have to wait for an egg or the cockadoodledoo before I'll know for sure.

Almost positive #1 is male though; even if it is very small. It hatched two days late and was very small from the get-go. Healthy and spritely now, he has a lot of character!

Oh you shouldn't have much trouble at all since they'll be separated with chicken wire to start with. Sounds like you've done your homework. Some people just do things on a whim lol. If you can freerange them after a couple weeks that would help too. By then they should know which side is theirs and go back to it before dark. Good luck with them.

Thanks for the kind words and the help! Looking forward to it all.

 

[CiceroXY]

I also think that is a cockerel in the first picture, not only for comb and wattles but also for his posture. I have Australorps and I can say that two of them could be Australorps because, as far as I can see in the pic, their plumage has green sheen in the sunlight and they have slate-coloured legs and beaks. Maybe they are not 100% pure Australorps cause of their yellow eyes (it should be black or brown) and I can see few brown feathers on the back in the third pic.

 

[elaineinspain]

Not sure that they are black australorps, unless the American standard is different to the European. I've never seen a black australorp with such light coloured eyes...