Help: is this Buff Orpington a male?

[K Spot]

I totally agree with K Spot regarding your need to contact the breeder you 'paid extra for pullets' and request they swap out for an 'actual pullet'.

I breed, raise and sell started pullets and it is for this reason that I do not sell any birds until at least 8 weeks of age as by that time I can - with
pretty good accuracy - determine sex.

Several months ago I sold a gorgeous EE and Welsummer cross and thought it was probably a pullet but told the buyer if I turned out to be wrong
I would gladly exchange it for another bird but she like the coloration of the bird in question.

I recently heard back from her that he had begun to try crowing so we arranged for her to come back with the boy and she picked out a pullet.

Reputable breeders and sellers will do right by you as repeat sales are what keeps us going - even for a small homestead/hobby farm like us!

Agree.

I bought 2 British Tailed Araucanas from a local breeder as pullets. One turned out to be a roo and she gladly swapped him for another pullet.

This is also one reason I only buy birds over 10 weeks. No suprises (well, usually) and I don't have the headache of trying to rehome roos.

 

[dandrews1971]

I concur on roo. I see the beginnings of 2 tone coloring. On Buff orps, a pullet will have one solid color of buff, roos have 2 tone,
They are beautiful roos , but definitely ask for exchange if you paid extra for pullets.

 

[arthury]

Well, I bought mine from a feeder store who distributed the chicks from a farm (Cackle Hatchery). Not sure if they will accept a return. I just wrote to both of them.

Anyway, looking at the behavior of the rooster, he is actually pretty useful. He just drove away an American Robin which landed on the ground and was planning on slipping his beak through the mesh to steal my blueberries and was chased off by my young 6-week old cockerel.
And, he is already establishing himself to be the de facto leader of the flock by pecking on everyone's head to make sure they are submissive. Every time one of the pullets strays away, he will go out of his way to round her up back to the flock with a peck on on the head, of course.

Are there ways to keep a rooster without angering the neighbors? I heard some people keep their rooster in the cage every night in the garage with a thick blanket over it. And, releases it every morning after the sun has risen.

 

[donrae]

Yeah, if you bought it from a feed store and/or hatchery. you're just out of luck. They don't guarantee 100% on the sexing, most hatcheries say like 90% and if you get a rooster, that's just too bad. Private breeders are a whole nother issue, I think that's where folks thought you bought the bird.

 

[arthury]

It's going to be more and more difficult to give him away as he is getting more beautiful everyday.