Black Australorp hen or rooster?

[Breeann1221]

I have one chicken that is a whole lot bigger than the rest of them and he/she has a pretty sizeable waddle and comb. I was reading that female australorps can have this as well (fact check?) so I was just wondering what everyone's opinion is. I should also add that he/she was purchased as on March 18th... 7 weeks ago. Sorry if the pictures are a little grainy...

 

[BlueBaby]

I can tell by your first picture that the one in the front is a cockerel. At 7 weeks old, that comb and wattles wouldn't be that big and darker pink like that. He is going to be a big boy! At 7 week's old, the females still have the smaller combs and wattles like the other black one in the picture behind him.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

agree with above... but to answer your questions about males vs females on the combs and wattles.... The young cockerels will grow them first, and they will get big and red first. Typically on an adult bird, the comb and wattles are noticeably bigger on the roosters than the hens. Hens will get red combs and wattles once they hit point of lay (POL), but before that, they usually stay small and yellowish or orangy. For instance, the barred rock in my avatar is a pullet, and this pic was taken last fall, not long before she started laying, about three weeks before. She was probably 18 weeks old at this point.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Thank you for confirming my thoughts! This is the first time I've had chickens. Lol. Is there anything I have to do differently with a rooster? He hasn't crowed or anything yet.

This is the best piece of advice I can give you, especially since I'm only a year into my chicken journey and I don't have any roosters. But everybody with experience agrees, this article is the best around.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/beekisseds-rooster-speak.73664/

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

Cockerel.
And that bird is much older than 7 weeks.

 

[Breeann1221]

Cockerel.
And that bird is much older than 7 weeks.

That's how long ago I bought him. He was just a smidge bigger than the other chicks but not to where we thought he was weeks older. Like maybe just 1 week older.

 

[Breeann1221]

That's a rooster, I'm sorry xD.



How many hens do you have, or do you have any more roosters? If you have one rooster, you can have a happy flock, if you don't mind the morning crows.

I recommend looking at rooster articles on BYC, for any questions you have. All of the roosters I have had have joined my dad's friend's brother's (lol) huge farm, with lots of lady hens, so not the rooster expert here.

He's the only rooster that we know of. We have a total of 22 chickens. So 21 hens and 1 rooster. I'll definitely have to check out the rooster column. Lol. I know nothing about roosters other than they can protect your flock.

 

[Breeann1221]

Thank you for confirming my thoughts! This is the first time I've had chickens. Lol. Is there anything I have to do differently with a rooster? He hasn't crowed or anything yet.

 

[Bobby Basham]

I can tell by your first picture that the one in the front is a cockerel. At 7 weeks old, that comb and wattles wouldn't be that big and darker pink like that. He is going to be a big boy! At 7 week's old, the females still have the smaller combs and wattles like the other black one in the picture behind him.

My babies are 20 weeks old, and I have one that looks exactly like that. The other two have tiny pale combs, but all three look alike even though one has a larger comb and wattles. The feathering is the same on all three, and I can't see any larger legs/feet or saddle feathers on that suspect. It is more vocal, walking around making all the cawing sounds and is somewhat friendly. They don't stay still long enough for me to get a good pic, but it looks exactly like the one in the pic. Oh, I noticed that it's not much of a gentleman compared to the big RIRs. It' sort of a bully around the feeder/treat bowl. If this is a roo, it's gonna go for a long walk on a short pier along with those two RIR's.

 

[BlueBaby]

My babies are 20 weeks old, and I have one that looks exactly like that. The other two have tiny pale combs, but all three look alike even though one has a larger comb and wattles. The feathering is the same on all three, and I can't see any larger legs/feet or saddle feathers on that suspect. It is more vocal, walking around making all the cawing sounds and is somewhat friendly. They don't stay still long enough for me to get a good pic, but it looks exactly like the one in the pic. Oh, I noticed that it's not much of a gentleman compared to the big RIRs. It' sort of a bully around the feeder/treat bowl.

Well if it look's like the one that was mentioned above, you have a boy too.