Australorp hen/roo

[gardengnomes]

Hi,

This is our first australorp and we feel that she is a hen but just want to make sure. She is the dominant one of the flock but doesn't seem to act like a roo. She is about 4 months old.

She has started making horrible noises not like a rooster more like a loud goose in the morning until the auto door to the coop opens. Seems to be getting worse with the noise lasting for about 1/2 hour the past few mornings.

Are we delusional thinking this is a hen??

Thanks for your input!

 

[nurse_turtle]

Looks like a hen to me. Her face and combs and wattles are quite red which can indicate her gearing up to lay an egg for ya.

 

[stephanie1992]

i wanna say roo, thats a bigger comb and wattles than any of my astrolorp hens ever had even at laying. and in the last pic i think i see saddle feathers developing

 

[ramirezframing]

looks like my dads young australrop roos and I see saddle feathers in the last picture

 

[spikennipper]

It's a roo I'm afraid, def development of saddle feathers coming through.

 

[scwheeler24]

Looks like saddle feathers. My whole batch of chickens are appearing to be roos. I have sat out there studying them for quite a while to see what everyone is talking about. I also looked up the feather anatomy of roos online. And from what you say, it is working at a crow. You may know for sure soon if it be or not be.

 

[Losobug]

Uh oh, looks pretty Rooish. Here are my girls hatched on Feb. 23, 2012. I just happened to take this photo yeterday, so very current pic.

 

[mcjessen]

Looks like a roo to me. At four months my BA looked exactly like lorps in Losobug's picture. My BA also didn't lay until about 22 weeks so I think the red comb is more indication of a roo and not a pullet getting ready to lay.

 

[Lothiriel]

You've got a cockerel there. Pullets won't get combs/wattles that big for a couple more months yet, and like a previous poster said, there are definitely pointed saddle feathers in the last photo.