Lavender Orpington Gender Help

[Sammi_0411]

Personally only number 3 looks like a pullet to me xx

 

[Sprather88]

I think it is still too early to tell for sure. Orpingtons can be difficult to gender ID at this age. None of them are obviously boys in my view. Possibly other posters will have different opinions but I would advise hanging onto these until they are 12 to 14 weeks and then re-post updated photos with good close-up profiles of the head and comb as well as side view photos of the body of each one.

Thank you! It's just the 5 look so similar and the one looks so different, so I am starting to get worried! I did want to try 1 Rooster, but not 5

 

[Sprather88]

Personally only number 3 looks like a pullet to me xx

That is what I am worried about. This is my first year with chickens so I am new to this.

 

[Sprather88]

I can see the head of only five of the six.
Those five are pullets.

Sex specific feathering will not be visible at this age.
The feather ruffling is very common in lavenders. It's a genetic issue, I believe.
Spurs rarely develop before about 6 months.

Thank you!

 

[Sprather88]

Oh yes! Wonderful ideas. Also when you retake your pictures be sure to take really good views of their feet showing the back of the feet. The males will have very small but developing spurs on the back of the feet. Take pics not in the direct sun or shadows with very good views of the necks and hackles with a good view directly above their backs which will give us the information we are looking for regarding whether or not their hackle feathers are rounded or pointed that I was talking about.

Thank you! I will try to retake in a few weeks!

 

[Sprather88]

Hi. I am sorry that I cannot be a whole lotta help but all but #1 look like probable pullets to me right now and number one just looks very different in it’s coloring and that is causing me to think it might be a roo. However, I tried to look at the hackle feathers on all of them to see if I could tell if any were pointed in order to determine that they were males but all your birds look like they have been wet and their feathers have dried and curled up. They look roughed up and actually a little in the raggedy side so it’s hard to tell. Have they been dust bathing properly or maybe rolling around in some gravel after standing in the rain or roosting in the trees at all? You might want to prevent them from rolling around on the rocks after they are wet in order to not be so hard in their feathers health. I could not tell the direction of their feathers on either whether they were rounded or pointed. They are all beautiful young birds. Please don’t think I am insulting them or you in anyway. They just might be developing some bad habits for their feather housekeeping.

Thanks we have sand in the run and they have access to lots of dirt outside on 2 acres. They are not the best at roosting at night for some reason like to sleep on their belly's but they are starting to roost more now!

 

[Madhouse Pullet]

#3 looks like a pullet to me.

 

[EMMomma]

I agree that 3 might be a pullet. I think all the others are roosters though. Here’s my 2 at 9 weeks old, that both ultimately turned out to be roosters:

 

[Sprather88]

I agree that 3 might be a pullet. I think all the others are roosters though. Here’s my 2 at 9 weeks old, that both ultimately turned out to be roosters:

only two of mines combs are that big so maybe there is hope for one or two more? I am going to wait another two or three weeks then retake pictures and try to figure out what to do.

 

[black_cat]

Orps are early combers, and that coupled with the scruffy feathers can be tricky. I agree with happy, the ones where you can see the head are ladies.