Could Our Black Australorp be a rooster????

[Iheartchickies]

We got 3 eight week old chicks the 1st of july. We were advised they were all hens. We are pretty confident that the buff orp & the comet are both hens. However, the black australorp has recently began crowing. loudly. It is not a bonafide "cockadoodledoo" but it sure sounds close. It even does this while in the chicken house with the door closed early in the morning. However, it also clucks. This chicken is EXTREMELY dominant over the other 2 chickens and often flaps its feathers to shoo them around. It is almost the most social of our 3 birds with our children & people. It likes to peck at us. a lot. Any advise would be appreciated. If it is a rooster I am weary of it breeding with our other girls of different breeds as I am nervous as to what kind of chicks would come from that. Thank you so much!!!!

 

[hdowden]

can you get a clear shot of the saddle area. right now at 14 weeks (if my calculations are correct) the saddle feathers should be coming through the rest of the feathers if it was a cockerel and I'm leaning towards a pullet but that comb and wattles are pretty big as well

 

[PioneerPrincess]

Welcome to BYC!! It looks like your Australorp has saddle feathers, in which case that means he's a roo. Saddle feathers are the shiny, pointy feathers draped just beside the tail. Roosters do cluck to show their hens food. They will make a big deal out of a little tidbit just to get the hen's attention. LOL Breeding him with your hens won't produce any crazy type of chicken. Their youngins will be the usual, adorable chicks as their parents were; only, they will be mix-breeds and have a mix of their parents' coloring. Hope this helps!

 

[Lots A Cluckin]

yes this is a rooster...very pretty too!! hope you can keep him

 

[Lots A Cluckin]

and as for the chicks they would produce...they wont produce any unless you incubate them or one of your hens goes broody...and if you collect the eggs every day you wont have a problem with chicks...but if you plan on incubating the eggs...the chicks you be mutts there is nothing wrong with a mutt...they would probably lay really well though...and as for how they look they chicks from the buff orp would be black because black is dominate over buff and the chicks from the comet assuming it is a golden comet or what I call a Red Sex-Link some chicks will be white and some will be black....all chicks would be great layers considering their parents.

 

[hdowden]

Welcome to BYC!! It looks like your Australorp has saddle feathers, in which case that means he's a roo. Saddle feathers are the shiny, pointy feathers draped just beside the tail. Roosters do cluck to show their hens food. They will make a big deal out of a little tidbit just to get the hen's attention. LOL Breeding him with your hens won't produce any crazy type of chicken. Their youngins will be the usual, adorable chicks as their parents were; only, they will be mix-breeds and have a mix of their parents' coloring. Hope this helps!

my hens saddle feathers drap down just like a cockerels/roosters do and she is 100% pullet. the cockerels saddles are long, slender, and pointed

 

[Iheartchickies]

Thank you so much for your comments and advise! I tried my best to get a good pic of the saddle area but the chicken was not being very cooperative.

This bird is absolutely beautiful and we intend on keeping it even if it is a rooster. (providing our neighbors don't mind the crowing) I would just like to know the sex to determine if we have to prepare for the possibility of baby chicks or not.

 

[RockerHen]

Those saddle feathers are pretty pointed and shiny. I would say roo.

 

[Hezz]

You have a very handsome rooster there.

 

[Iheartchickies]

Thanks again! I am convinced without a doubt that I have a rooster.