Can you distinguish cockerels by feathers?

[Jeffomatic]

I have some 12 week old Australorps and am afraid one is a cockerel. The tail has curved feathers like a rooster and it is leggy, taller than the others. Are these indications of he being a him, or is there no way to tell other than waiting for maturity or vent-checking? (I have no chicken-sexing skills.)

 

[snowydiamonds]

From what I can see from your pic, the ends of the feathers are round so you'd have a "girl."

Let's see if my roo's pic is close up enough to show his pointy feather tips:

 

[Jeffomatic]

I hope you're right! Actually each of the four chickens are somewhat differently feathered. One has a perfect hen's "axe head" tail. Wish they all were as nicely formed as her. They are Australorps, but not pure as I'd like. They're supposed to have pink soles of the feet but two have yellow ones.

 

[snowydiamonds]

Look at the body feathers, the tips of the feathers, are they round? = girls or Pointy? = boys, especially the feathers where your hips and thighs would be on the bird. Forget the tail for now... unless you see one very long boy tail feather like on my roo.

 

[countrychix]

It looks like a pullet to me as it has a very small, hardly noticeable comb.

 

[greathorse]

At twelve weeks I think your Austrolorp would have quite pointed saddle feathers. The feathers on this bird seem pretty round to me. I think you have a pullet but I have been fooled before.

 

[Jeffomatic]

If any are cockerels I have a warranty with the farm I got them from... Trade in for a hen of equivalent age because I paid for sexed pullets. It's just a lot of trouble and a 40 mile drive. Also I am a bit attached to the chicken, if a bit reluctant to admit it....