B.O. rooster laid an egg. so I was wrong.

[3goodeggs]

My Buff Orpingtons pretty much all look a like. They are 24 weeks old, three are laying, only half have red combs, the one with the biggest darkest comb laid the first egg while I was there, so scratch that. I just could not have been shipped 24 hens, that just is not possible. Does anyone have a picture of a 22-26 week old rooster? I have looked at all the ones on the search, but they did not have an age on them. No one is crowing. I get turkey sounds out of layer number two, but no crows from anyone.
The legs ALL look big. They are some big birds. I see no saddle feathers either.
am I expecting a difference too early?
Thank you to anyone who can help. if I don't have to build a rooster run, then I'll be glad!

 

[jenjscott]

If you had a rooster, you'd know it by now. Mine are 28 weeks and have been definitely roosters for several months now. Sorry, no picture.

 

[3goodeggs]

well...yippie!

ps. I love your avitar!

 

[3goodeggs]

My husband just said that our feed to egg ratio just went up!

No meat in the freezer, but I am not sure I could have done that anyway.

 

[Plain Old Dee]

Don't feel too lonely. Grandson brought home a BO that we could have sworn was a rooster. He named the rooster "Roger." (Why "Roger," I have NO idea)

"Roger" even had a pretty little crow. Then one day, "Roger" laid an egg. We know it was "Roger" because he/she was in a cage by herself at the time.

 

[RAREROO]

I agree with jenjscott, by 24 weeks you can definitly tell the hens from roos, So I'd say you probably have all hens. Do you have apic of this "roo" and a pic of the rest of the flock?

 

[19hhbelgian]

you can feel free to send some of your luck my way!! You'd definitely know if you had a rooster by now. If only hens would start laying as fast as roosters start crowing... One can dream right?

 

[Bantimna]

Sounds like you gota hen. You should of known by now if you have a roo.

 

[MalloryBranch]

I had 3 BO's and 3 RIR - all 'supposedly pullets' One of the BO's turned out to be a roo, but he was so late to mature. He acted like a hen, looked like a hen, didn't crow, etc. and then the other rooster started chasing him in the evening to keep him out of the coop. I'd pick him up and put him in everynight after everyone else was on the roost. Finally, the hens started laying and he just kept on growing. That's when I figured it out. He was gigantic. I just sold him to someone looking for a BO roo. But I'm sure he was 26 weeks, before the chasing at roost time started happening. I think some of the big roosters may mature slower.

 

[Goose and Fig]

You said you had them shipped? Where are they from? If it was a hatchery, they probably sent you all pullets instead of straight run. Don't worry- roos aren't hard to come by if you really want one