Alleged Australorps - Pullets or Cockerels?

[CiceroXY]

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...

Australorps cannot have light coloured eyes also according to the Australian and Italian (my standard of reference) standards. It's a really serious defect in that breed.

 

[debid]

At 9 weeks, I'm confident you have two dark plumage males. The brown on the back is exactly where it would show on a male getting wing patches and the red ears are showing much too soon to be a pullet.

I'm going to guess they're either low quality Marans or barnyard mixes rather than Australorp and definitely not sexlinks.

The "hatchery" you mentioned, is it a hatchery we would all have heard of or a hobbyist?

 

[MickWithChicks]

At 9 weeks, I'm confident you have two dark plumage males. The brown on the back is exactly where it would show on a male getting wing patches and the red ears are showing much too soon to be a pullet.

I'm not disagreeing with your statement and I appreciate the input, but the third one that we're sure is a pullet (tiny comb and wattles, very docile, very short tail feathers) also has the brown on the back and wing patches, as well as the red ears. The blackest coloured one of the three (#1 above, with almost no brown whatsoever) is the one we're certain is a cockerel. They're a very odd bunch these three. That's why I'm doubting that they're actually Australorps.

I'm going to guess they're either low quality Marans or barnyard mixes rather than Australorp and definitely not sexlinks.

The "hatchery" you mentioned, is it a hatchery we would all have heard of or a hobbyist?

The hatchery is HennyPennyHatching. They're a franchising business, and they specialise in hatching programs for schools, aged care facilities, and other. They were definitely sold to the school as Black Australorps (as eggs), and I'm of the same opinion as you (and others in this thread) that they're definitely not Australorps (or at least not pure Australorps).

Australorps cannot have light coloured eyes also according to the Australian and Italian (my standard of reference) standards. It's a really serious defect in that breed.

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...

The three all have light coloured eyes. They do have the green sheen of the Black Australorp, but all other indicators are suggesting otherwise. I have no idea what they might actually be, but the hatchery insisted Black Australorps.

 

[drumstick diva]

I wonder if Hatchery quality Australorps look like this. They have no desire to keep up with the standard of perfection for any breed. Otherwise they look like aussie crosses

 

[MickWithChicks]

I wonder if Hatchery quality Australorps look like this. They have no desire to keep up with the standard of perfection for any breed. Otherwise they look like aussie crosses

Hah! I'd say not. I reckon they don't care too much (at least this particular franchisee) as most of what they do is hatching programs. It's not a big deal--we didn't personally pay for them and we're not after them as purebreds, but it sure does make ID'ing them difficult!

 

[MickWithChicks]

Just to update the thread incase anyone happens upon it in the future, here she is a month later, looking all man-ish!

Definitely a boy! He's even started trying to mount the only two pullets we have in that pen. We bought 4 new pullets at about the same age and have had them in an adjacent pen for about 3 weeks now (sharing a chicken wire fence so they can get to know eachother). We'll separate the boys out into a bachelor pad shortly, and have 6 girls together.