Black Australorp is crowing -- do I have a rooster?!?

[nelleschickfarm]

Hi everyone,
I'm very new to this chicken business, but we're excited and committed to having happy healthy chickens. We've grown to love our flock after two months. We bought four hens from a lovely farm up in Temecula. Woke up two weeks ago though to one of our Black Australorps crowing...LOUDLY. She/he has been doing it now almost every morning. He/she also hasn't laid any eggs, however none of our chickens have started to lay eggs (they are 6.5 months and 5.5 months roughly). I'm attaching a picture. Do you think we have a rooster on our hands?! I should have known since we let my son name "her" Lightening McQueen.

 

[donrae]

Your son had good instincts! That is a rooster.

 

[willowbranchfarm]

100% Rooster

 

[HEChicken]

Yep, not doubt that is a cockerel.

I'm surprised you are not getting any eggs yet from the others. Do they free-range? Is it possible they have a hidden nest somewhere? Are their combs red and do they squat when you approach? Most of mine have laid their first egg around 22 weeks but I would consider anything from 20-25 to be "average". The ones who are 5 1/2 months should be laying any day but the ones that are 6 1/2 months really should have started already.

 

[nelleschickfarm]

Thanks for your fast responses, I was really hoping I was wrong. We're not allowed to have roosters in our neighborhood, so I'm praying the farm will exchange him. We love him, but it's only a matter of time before our neighbors complain about the cock-a-doodle-doo! Thanks again.

 

[nelleschickfarm]

Yes, I thought it was odd, too, that they haven't laid yet. One of them has been squatting a lot, but I've searched their whole pen and coop and no hidden nest of eggs. They have a large pen to range free. Oh my, could it be I have two roosters?? I'm going to post photos of my other "girl!"

 

[HEChicken]

Looking at your flock from your avatar, your little EE looks like a pullet and the other little white one to the right is a pullet as well. The only one I can't see well is the one that appears to be eating and all I can see is the back of the tail. That isn't enough to go on but that one does appear to have large legs/feet and a lot of tail feathers. If you can post a head and/or a body shot of that bird, we can reassure you one way or the other.

 

[nelleschickfarm]

Here are three photos of my other "girl" oh my could it be? The last photo is of both the australorps together. What do you all think? Do I have two boys!? Only one of them crows though. Thank you SOOO much for your help!

 

[HEChicken]

Oh dear, yes, no doubt about it, those are both cockerels.

 

[nelleschickfarm]

Oh my, this is terrible. My daughter is going to be so sad. Well that explains why they aren't laying!! I just hope that the farm will take them back; they are such lovely birds. We really love them, but we can't have roosters and I don't want fertilized eggs. Thanks again for everyone's help!