Hi from East Tennessee - mom of 4 weeks old Black Australorp

[bluema]

I'm hoping that someone can convince me that Audrey is a girl, but I'm 99.9% certain that he's a boy. This is based on a ridiculous amount of research and follow up on other Australorp posts.

Anybody- please let me know if you think Audrey could possibly be a girl. I've heard that many people end up giving away their "roo" only to find out that it started laying eggs later? If you were one of them, please let me know. I don't want to risk keeping him until he crows, and rather find him a good home for an early adjustment.

 

[bluema]

Audrey (yes, still Audrey...) now at exactly 6 weeks old.
He is such a handsome big boy... I really hope that I can find him a good home soon.

Look at his beautiful soulful dark eyes.

 

[suthrnmomto5]

Aww w so pretty. Wish I was closer I'd home him for you

 

[bluema]

I've just found a taker for Audrey, but the buyer is in FL and wont' be able to pick him up until mid July. I was grateful to find Audrey a home and was tremendously relieved...for a day...

This morning, I was playing with the birds and fed them some tasty treats, and then when I started walking away from the coop, Audrey started crowing for the first time!!!

The crow was soft and sounded like a bird was dying, but he did it twice and I immediately made a commotion to curtail his behavior. All other birds got freaked out by Audrey's crow and hurled into the coop, and he didn't repeat since. This makes me panic since I have to wait another month before Audrey can be picked up, and I absolutely cannot have a crowing rooster in the neighborhood.

Will he continue with his crowing practice until he can let out his full blown crow, or was this some sort of fluke?
I am incredibly worried!

 

[bluema]

Well, Audrey continued to practice after the first attempt. Initially, he wasn't too loud, but the volume was definitely improving each day. I had no idea roosters crow at not even 2 months old.
The FL buyer couldn't have Audrey all of sudden, but luckily I was able to find him a home near where I live at a local Chicken swap that I found out about after a panic search. I am incredibly happy I was able to find him a home (with 10 hens all to himself) and I may even get to visit him time to time.

 

[dreamingOfbyc]

Yeah! Good news!

 

[JLakeman]

You're poat comes at a great a time for me. I have suspected my only BA is a rooster. But this is completely based on the attitude. Sounds like i could now soon since mine is now 3 weeks old with a very small comb but long tail feathers.

 

[bluema]

Yes you'll know very soon. Besides the spunky and playful personality, I noticed that Audrey also had heftier legs than other girls. Thinking back, I was in such a denial because I really wanted to keep him. I still miss him...

 

[JLakeman]

Sounds like you found him a good home though. I have four chicks and they're all different breeds. The BA is the biggest but I don't have another one to compare it too. It may be a
couple days older than the other 3 too; it grew feathers faster and in general just seems to be a couple days ahead of everybody else

 

[JLakeman]

On the good side, the comb is barely visible and still appears to be very light black and white. if it turns out to be a rooster I will miss this one too! keeping my fingers crossed that he will be a she