Another Lavender Orpington sexing question.

[The Happster]

Well I think I goofed again. In my search for hens for my chocolate orp cockerel, I found some Barred/cuckoo ones.

Here is the photo the seller sent me of his chocolate cuckoo Orpington “pullet”, supposedly 5 months old. I thought “she” was beautiful, so I went and bought her today:

View attachment 2374727
(Sorry it’s sideways)

I’m such a dunce. I’m so sick of getting fooled by these pullets, that I combed that photo for signs of maleness, and I thought it was ok. But now that it’s walking around in my yard, I can’t make myself believe it’s a girl.

What do you all think? This one was too expensive to accept it as a boy. I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask the seller to refund it. But I want to make sure before I ask.

It’s dark out now, so more photos will have to wait until morning.

@Faraday40 @homeschoolin momma can I get you two to weigh in on this one?

That is 10000% a cockerel, without a shadow of a doubt.
A slow developing one, but clear saddles.

Ask for that refund as soon as you can!

 

[Faraday40]

Well I think I goofed again. In my search for hens for my chocolate orp cockerel, I found some Barred/cuckoo ones.

Here is the photo the seller sent me of his chocolate cuckoo Orpington “pullet”, supposedly 5 months old. I thought “she” was beautiful, so I went and bought her today:

View attachment 2374727
(Sorry it’s sideways)

I’m such a dunce. I’m so sick of getting fooled by these pullets, that I combed that photo for signs of maleness, and I thought it was ok. But now that it’s walking around in my yard, I can’t make myself believe it’s a girl.

What do you all think? This one was too expensive to accept it as a boy. I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask the seller to refund it. But I want to make sure before I ask.

It’s dark out now, so more photos will have to wait until morning.

@Faraday40 @homeschoolin momma can I get you two to weigh in on this one?

My gut says male, but I can't say for sure. Perhaps it's younger. I don't see hackle/saddle feathers clear enough to know. I just see that it's sort of "leggy" and the way it stands looks male. The face could go either way. Sometime between 5-9 months, a female's face turns red and they begin to lay. My 5 month old males often have bigger comb/wattles, but perhaps this line just has smaller headgear. This cockerel below was hatched in late April or early May, so a little over 5 mo.

 

[Finnie]

That is 10000% a cockerel, without a shadow of a doubt.
A slow developing one, but clear saddles.

Ask for that refund as soon as you can!

My gut says male, but I can't say for sure. Perhaps it's younger. I don't see hackle/saddle feathers clear enough to know. I just see that it's sort of "leggy" and the way it stands looks male. The face could go either way. Sometime between 5-9 months, a female's face turns red and they begin to lay. My 5 month old males often have bigger comb/wattles, but perhaps this line just has smaller headgear. This cockerel below was hatched in late April or early May, so a little over 5 mo.View attachment 2375069View attachment 2375071

Thank you both! Faraday, thank you for posting photos of your cockerel. It really does help with comparisons, and that’s what anyone doing a search will need if they find this thread.

Well, I got saddle photos and they don’t lie.

I guess I’ll be contacting the seller.

 

[Finnie]

I wish there was a way to rotate photos. It’s really random whether they post upright or sideways.
I’m going to post pictures of the females I got from the same seller, for comparison. They are obviously female, and the same age.

And for more comparison, here are photos of Rolo, my chocolate cockerel. His hatch date is July 1st, so he is 3.5 months, and crowing. But his feather development is sooooo slow. He just looks like a round fluff ball.

 

[The Happster]

Pretty birds.
It's quite possible the seller did not know it was male - the comb is very underdeveloped. Although with those saddles he should have.

I'm sorry. Hope you get a refund.

 

[Finnie]

Pretty birds.
It's quite possible the seller did not know it was male - the comb is very underdeveloped. Although with those saddles he should have.

I'm sorry. Hope you get a refund.

No, she didn’t realize. She has been trying to find a chocolate cuckoo orp rooster, so now she wants him back!

 

[Finnie]

@Faraday40 did you get a chance to look at my lavender orp photos that I started this thread with? What do you think of those two?

 

[Faraday40]

Thank you both! Faraday, thank you for posting photos of your cockerel. It really does help with comparisons, and that’s what anyone doing a search will need if they find this thread.

Well, I got saddle photos and they don’t lie.
View attachment 2375122View attachment 2375123View attachment 2375124View attachment 2375125View attachment 2375126View attachment 2375127View attachment 2375128View attachment 2375129View attachment 2375130View attachment 2375131View attachment 2375132
I guess I’ll be contacting the seller.

Yes, with those saddle feathers, the choc cuckoo is a boy. A very rare orp variety too!

 

[Faraday40]

@Faraday40 did you get a chance to look at my lavender orp photos that I started this thread with? What do you think of those two?

Well.....I'm not getting the pullet vibe.

One is definitely a male. I'm guessing the other is a slower maturing male. (Sometimes if there's another more dominant male around, the other males will develop slowly.) I could be wrong, so keep them until you see saddle feathers or hear a crow.

Here are some pullets from June. They were about 13 weeks in these photos. The blue orp had some pink, but no real comb. Females tend to look "round" when they stand and walk.

Miss Curious always running up to see what I'm doing.

Sometimes, orps are tricky - Like this one:
I feel yours look similar to him.

The lav on the right had some little wattles at 3-4 weeks, so I thought male. By 6-8 weeks I thought female because there wasn't much change in the face. Stood & acted female. Always stayed with its turkey brothers.

12 weeks Legs started getting lanky and comb turned pink. Both comb and wattles showed a little growth. Could I have been wrong all this time?!

4 months. Hey. This "girl" has long legs and is standing upright like a boy! Look how much the wattles dropped. It has to be a male!

5 months: Saddle feathers. No denying its male gender now!

 

[Finnie]

Well.....I'm not getting the pullet vibe.

One is definitely a male. I'm guessing the other is a slower maturing male. (Sometimes if there's another more dominant male around, the other males will develop slowly.) I could be wrong, so keep them until you see saddle feathers or hear a crow.

Here are some pullets from June. They were about 13 weeks in these photos. The blue orp had some pink, but no real comb. Females tend to look "round" when they stand and walk.
View attachment 2375185View attachment 2375186

Miss Curious always running up to see what I'm doing.View attachment 2375188



Sometimes, orps are tricky - Like this one:
I feel yours look similar to him.

The lav on the right had some little wattles at 3-4 weeks, so I thought male. By 6-8 weeks I thought female because there wasn't much change in the face. Stood & acted female. Always stayed with its turkey brothers.
View attachment 2375195

12 weeks Legs started getting lanky and comb turned pink. Both comb and wattles showed a little growth. Could I have been wrong all this time?!
View attachment 2375202
4 months. Hey. This "girl" has long legs and is standing upright like a boy! Look how much the wattles dropped. It has to be a male!
View attachment 2375217
5 months: Saddle feathers. No denying its male gender now!
View attachment 2375237

Thank you so much! These are awesome progression photos!

I won’t mind too much if my lavs end up as a pair. But if they are both cockerels, they will have to go.