Black Astrolorp...Maria or Marco?

[Dianekw]

So at 4 1/2 weeks, Maria/Marco is so much farther behind all the other chicks i hatched of various breeds(leghorn, cream legbar, cochin, brahma, and even my little "mutt" who is a WEEK younger!), in feathering out, but is soooo much taller than all of em(shes got this incredibly long ostrich-neck!) And i just dont know what to make of her?! Comb and wattles are still pretty small and mostly pale...especially compared to my two lt brown leghorns, who I'm suspecting are roos. She's probably the most active/alert of em all. And the one I've caught chestbumping most(i know...bad sign, but not difinitive). I know the breeds all develop at different rates, and have varying tells, but i dont know enough about any one breed to know what i have in this mixed bag brood. Does anyone here know astrolorps well enough to venture a guess as to whether this is a pullet/cockerel? I have several pics with different angles if you need to see more...just ask for what you need to see...i just didnt want to clobber the post with tons of pics.

 

[sourland]

I lean 'likely cockerel'.

 

[Wild Claws]

Yeah I think it will be a Marco....

 

[Dianekw]

I lean 'likely cockerel'.

yikes...that's what I was suspecting. :-\ Thanks!

 

[sourland]

yikes...that's what I was suspecting. :-\ Thanks!

but - don't give up hope just yet.

 

[high5]

I'm sure he identifies as a cockerel!

 

[Dianekw]

but - don't give up hope just yet.

Thanks! I'm trying not to! ...this is one that will probably go to freezer camp if it's a boy, so I'm really hoping pullet! I have 6 different breeds in my chest bumping brood of 7, and I'm just hoping at least ONE or TWO might be pullets...I'm running low on egg producers, and I dont have a plucker yet! :-\ ...guess I'd better get to searching! :-\

I've never seen so many chicks ALL acting like cockerels! I'm hoping that some of em are just pullets mimicking the actions they're seeing in the cockerels....

 

[high5]

G

Thanks! I'm trying not to! ...this is one that will probably go to freezer camp if it's a boy, so I'm really hoping pullet! I have 6 different breeds in my chest bumping brood of 7, and I'm just hoping at least ONE or TWO might be pullets...I'm running low on egg producers, and I dont have a plucker yet! :-\ ...guess I'd better get to searching! :-\

I've never seen so many chicks ALL acting like cockerels! I'm hoping that some of em are just pullets mimicking the actions they're seeing in the cockerels....

Good luck, Diane!

 

[Dianekw]

G

Good luck, Diane!

Thanks, High5! I think ALL my chicks are identifying as cockerels at the moment! I hope it's just a phase they'll grow out of!

 

[Dianekw]

Ok experts...what do you think? Maria/Marco is 8 1/2 weeks old now and this comb is downright PUNY compared to my same-aged leghorns...same for wattles. Is there any chance that the early calls for Roo were premature? I'm hoping that M/M is leaning more toward Maria now? ..
Any thoughts? Thanks!