Is this bad luck or lucky experience???

[NatJ]

Why do they need to roost for the breeder to take them back?

I've been puzzling about this, and I've come up two ideas that might sort of make sense:
--it might be an imprecise way to check age, either to be sure they are old enough to really tell sex, or so the farmer can put them in a pen with other chickens and not fuss with brooding young chicks.
--it might be a mis-communication. If the farmer meant something like "act like a rooster," and called it "roostering," that could possibly get turned into "roosting." Or there could be a "helpful" auto-correct or auto-complete feature making a mess of things. (Like in the questions where people ask if they have "pulleys" or "toos" when they wanted to say "pullets" or "roos.")

But I'm still wondering if there is some other explanation that I'm missing, that will seem obvious when I hear it

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Perhaps by roost he means that they are out of the brooder and in the coop?

 

[Apis mellifera]

Just guessing, but I don't see much for saddle or hackle feathers. They could be pullets.

 

[NatJ]

Just guessing, but I don't see much for saddle or hackle feathers. They could be pullets.

Male saddle and hackle feathers tend to come in a bit later, often around 12 weeks if I remember correctly. These chicks are only 8 weeks old.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I am no way a rooster expert but pic number three looks like he is a few feathers shy of a Kellogg’s box.

 

[CoopBoots]

Can't promise without each in a separate photo, but I see boys. No way an Orpington pullet at 8 weeks has a comb this red and large I am so, so sorry... So you are going to be out the cost of feed and care until they "roost"?! I'm not at all sure what that means, but the breeder is coming out ahead on costs methinks when sex is quite apparent...

 

[CoopBoots]

One of my hatchery Buff Orpingtons a little past 8 weeks. I bought sexed pullets and can 100% confirm this is a female because she laid eggs later, lol.

Her sexed sisters had combs this small as well. Nothing at all red until ages later nearing point-of-lay.

 

[Apis mellifera]

Male saddle and hackle feathers tend to come in a bit later, often around 12 weeks if I remember correctly. These chicks are only 8 weeks old.

8 to 12 weeks. The OP may know within the next couple weeks. Like I said, I'm just guessing. But I don't think they are all roosters.

 

[NatJ]

8 to 12 weeks. The OP may know within the next couple weeks. Like I said, I'm just guessing. But I don't think they are all roosters.

When I look at the last photo in the first post, I see 7 buffs. One is hiding its head, but the other 6 look like probably-males to me. Some I am more sure of, and others less, but at a minimum I am very sure there are SOME males.

There is no way the biggest of the combs & wattles are females at 8 weeks old. (Especially going by some of the other photos for extra detail.)

 

[Enzo93]

So I called the farm back this morning and the guy said he meant crowing. Ironically, I looked up what a young cockerel sounds when they are crowing and right after I played the sound this guy (see picture) immediately started crowing.

I also noticed that he is the only one with an “extra” wattle. I don’t know if that is a significant observation to the topic.

Also this morning, I noticed that he is more assertive than the rest of the Buffs.