Black Australorp Difference between cock and hen

[dansdeals3489]

Shouldn't they be crowing by now? I haven't heard anything.

 

[FisherMOM]

not necessarily. I have an 18 week old RIR rooster who hasn't even TRIED to crow yet.

 

[FisherMOM]

I just took this picture of Pearl... she is 19 weeks old.
Another way to tell if they are roosters are by tail feathers.

Roosters get long greenish tail feathers and have thick legs

 

[FisherMOM]

ok, I am talking to myself, but gee... those tails look like round feathers... but those combs and wattles.. wow.

Now I'm stumped

 

[dansdeals3489]

Thanks for the replies, I am stumped also, she (or he) has blac k tail feathers. I posted here is a picture of the Black Australorps form the Meyers website that I purchased them from. Am I mistaken or is the hen pictured have a big comb and wattles?

 

[dansdeals3489]

Boy I can't talk very well tonight, some of my hens I purchased have very small combs, some not at all and others are big with big wattles. Why are some progressing faster than the others?

 

[Riocotesei]

I don't see any saddle feathers. I still think that they are girls. Also, I've seen an adult males and their combs and wattles are much bigger.

 

[CindyS]

the third photo is 2 pullets, the 4th is a roo, the other 2 photos are not definate, either way, you have roos to deal with! hens will have large comb and wattles when they reach egg laying age, until then, their combs will remain pinkish yellow and small.

 

[MaransGuy]

All of the australorps you posted are pullets getting ready to lay. Mine started laying at about 8 weeks. That does not mean that ALL australorps lay at that age but some can and do. If any were roosters you would have much more extensive hackle and saddle development by now. By the way, the australorps that Meyers shows in that pic are horrible examples of the breed. The rooster has what is called a "squirrel tail" which means that it bens too far over the back of the bird, and even the hen has a really poor tail. It's not just a matter of being show-quality, but rather if they are even pure. I would not worry about your birds. I am sure you will have eggs soon. Here is a pic of one of my pullets at about 4months old:

 

[dansdeals3489]

Well thanks, that pretty much clears it up, I love the pic of your hen......thanks