Anyone have any ideas as to gender?

[Rhodebar Lover]

Sadly although Delaware chicks are yellow, they wouldn't have any brown markings.

I hope for your sake that the Australorp is a pullet.

 

[honeyb711]

Sadly although Delaware chicks are yellow, they wouldn't have any brown markings.

I hope for your sake that the Australorp is a pullet.

Oh. The pictures i were looking at must have been labelled incorrectly, the ones that read 'Delaware', same age as my chicks, looked very much the same as this one, brown markings included. Its hard to learn with so much mis-information available.

Attached another couple pics i guess for 'final confirmation' on this little guy...aswell as a couple more of our Australorp (im noticing some red shadowing in the wings?)...im worried that with my luck it will be a roo also...

 

[honeyb711]

Others say possibly a roo for our Australorp too

I had my suspicions...based purely off my bad luck

We will wait another week or 2 though just to be sure.

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

The Australorp still could be a cockerels as it is so young, but it isn't showing signs of being one yet. I still think the other is a Red Sex Link cockerel.

 

[honeyb711]

The Australorp still could be a cockerels as it is so young, but it isn't showing signs of being one yet. I still think the other is a Red Sex Link cockerel.

Thanks again for your opinion. I dont know enough about chicks to do this myself, but i agree that the one we were told is a light sussex, is not. As for it being a roo...it doesnt suprise me.

After a few other opinions, both on this site & elsewhere, the Australorp i am leaning towards being a roo also. The 2 reasons being that its comb is definitely brighter than the one we believe to be the red sex link male, & i am therefor thinking roo. Also, after closer inspection of the 3 chicks, it is obvious the Lohmons pullet does in fact have slightly thinner legs than the other 2.

Ive spoken with the older 2 kids, & they are prepared for rehoming any roos. We have found a couple who live on property who will take them if need be. So at least i know they will be ok. Ive decided to wait at least a week, maybe 2, just to be sure. Plus, that gives me some time to research how i go about introducing some older, guaranteed pullets, in with what is quiet possibly our only female chick. Im thinking that in about a f/night, if i can find a couple of chicks around the 10-12wk old mark, (our current chicks will be almost 8wks by then) they shld hopefully get along without too much fuss? Maybe? Or am i way off? Any advice on integrating chickens would be appreciated

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

The Australorp may be a male according to your reasons, seeing them in person really helps! I'm glad you're waiting a week or so to be sure on gender. You should be able to really start seeing the differences then. It's fortunate that you have a home already lined up if need be! I'm definitely no expert on integration. When my chicks are eight weeks old I begin integrating them with the adults. First I only put them in the coop at night when there isn't a risk of injury, but they can still get used to each other. I have also once put all the eight week olds in with the adults. It isn't necessarily recommended, but I had plenty of items in the coop so that the younger ones could get away and the adults were greatly outnumbered. Since you are integrating chicks that are only four weeks apart, I wouldn't worry too much. Just make sure you quarantine the new ones to prevent the spread of disease, observe them to make sure there is no excessive bullying (a few pecks to determine pecking order is normal), and provide enrichment. Good luck!

 

[honeyb711]

Thank you

My plan is to purchase a few pol pullets. I will keep them in the hen house & the chick/s we can keep i will introduce slowly out there. (they are still inside at 5wks because it is winter here & the nights are still cool. I have started putting them out during the day whenever the weather has been nice though. I wont lie, i am very nervous whenever they are out though, they are still small & while they seem to enjoy it, i worry about them the whole time

)

This is the henhouse...& their first sunny day outside (with my son watching over them

)

*I will add, ive noticed that while there is some colour in the Australorps comb, the comb of the 'light sussex' is much chunkier... so i will remain hopeful for awhile longer

 

[chicky1016]

I think the 3rd pic down looks like a roo

 

[honeyb711]

 I think the 3rd pic down looks like a roo

Thanks. That one is the one we were told is a Light Sussex...which it isnt. The general opinion seems to be that it a rsl & yes, a roo

 

[honeyb711]

A couple of photos from this mornings visit outside in the hen house. They discovered a nest of bugs & i think they thought they were in heaven

I recorded them scratching around for awhile...had trouble unloading that though?!