Boy or girl? Black Australorp

[MarlaMac]

This is my other baby hatched on 7/17, so 30 days old today. Still may be a guess. I thought is was a girl at first, but now I am leaning toward it being a boy b/c of the color in his/her crown/wattles. Still too early to tell?

He/she is a little beat up b/c mom left it at 3.5 weeks old and the flock started picking on it. Only noticed it after a couple of days. Getting better, but it did have some open wounds which are healing. Separated it from the flock in a cage within the pen and it comes out when I am there to encourage and protect it. Rooster Cogburn does a little to protect, but not too much. I think it is b/c it is so antsy trying to find/stay with mom it invites others to try to chase it. Does fine in the coop at night with the flock. It was a lone hatch from one of our girls so it has no friends which is sad. Trying to get mom with two babies to accept it; slow process, but she is better today than she was 3 days ago.

 

[nuthatched]

Cockerel.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

now I am leaning toward it being a boy b/c of the color in his/her crown/wattles. Still too early to tell?

Welcome to BYC!

You are correct it's a cockerel.

He/she is a little beat up b/c mom left it at 3.5 weeks old and the flock started picking on it. Only noticed it after a couple of days

If his mum raised him with the flock he should have learned to avoid the bullies. Lone chicks are never a good ideal for exactly this reason.. they need someone to hang out with.

Hope it resolves quickly!

 

[MarlaMac]

Welcome to BYC!

You are correct it's a cockerel.


If his mum raised him with the flock he should have learned to avoid the bullies. Lone chicks are never a good ideal for exactly this reason.. they need someone to hang out with.

Hope it resolves quickly!

Yes...unfortunately, this is our first. Was told that the hens would not go broody in their first lay so we were not ready for this, but then everything I read was, if you can, let them hatch something. Only 1 of the 4 we put under her hatched. One was a quitter and the other two not viable.

I do have a friend with 20 pullets that are about 6 weeks old now who wants a roo. Better to let her have him now, or wait until he is older?

She has Rhode Island Reds and Easter Eggers.

 

[MarlaMac]

Cockerel.

Thank you.