How to tell if they are roosters??

[Sir Birdaholic]

Quote:
Are those signs that start to become obvious at 17-20 weeks or perhaps earlier....or later?

At 17-20 weeks, you should see a big difference in the roo tail versus the hens, in MOST breeds. A few breeds, like the Giants, don't mature as fast.

 

[MommaOrp]

The old chick:- gorgeous JG's!!! stunning...

 

[JodyJo]

one of my roos, notice the pointy feathering at base of neck on back, hackle feathers,
and on his back, the fluff, and saddle feathers...this one is 17 weeks old.

** comb, waddle all will be larger and redder...

(pullet, Australorp, at 17 weeks)

(rooster, Australorp at about 17 weeks...notice the tail etc....)

 

[theoldchick]

Quote:
Thank you!

 

[70monte]

I bought five 5 month old black Australorps that were supposed to be all pullets but four of them turned out to be roosters and I had to cull one of them that I didn't know what it was. I had them for over a month and decided to call the people I bought them from. They said I could return them so I returned them yesterday and they gave me three of their laying hens. One is a buff orpington, the other they think is a cherry egger, and the other is an americana.

But you could tell how the feathers were starting to form that they were roosters. This was not yet obvious when I bought them. One of them also started to crow and one other ended up mating one of my hens.

Wayne

 

[they'reHISchickens]

In some breeds the difference is very obvious early on ( 4 weeks or so) and in other breeds it takes months to figure out. I find it works best to see a male and female of the same breed and the same age to learn to tell the difference.
if all yours look alike at 17 weeks, odds are that you have all hens.

 

[so lucky]

JodyJo, what kind of roo is in the first photo? Beautiful bird.