Lavenders Slow to Mature?

[angelbabyamy]

I have 7 Lavender Orpingtons, they were hatched early-mid February, I think I have 5 roosters, but they are not crowing or trying to mate with the chickens. I am tired of feeding roosters and was planning on butchering some of them.
They two I am positive are hens are much smaller and have small darker colored combs, They roosters are bigger and have larger red combs and longer tail feathers. I don't have any other Orpingtons, so is this breed just slower to mature?

 

[luvussomechicks]

I have a roo Lavender Orph, that was born about the same time. He started crowing last month. But he doesn't crow often. I don't know if it's just because he's not the alpha roo or that they don't crow much. But you can definately tell he's a rooster! He's big, and jumps on the girls!

 

[angelbabyamy]

I butchered 2 and have 3 more. None of them crow, they don't bother the hens and they are 5 months old!

 

[TexasLady]

My experience with my own (purchased from another person and owned for about three years) are that they mature very, very late. My roos don't start breeding hens until they are maybe even seven months old!

But the line I have is the most active line of males once they get started. The hens are all sitting on the roosts all day long because he won't leave them alone. I've finally gotten rid of all the roosters except one other one, and he is with all the hens. That's about six or seven, and they are still on the roosts. I'm considering removing him and allowing him in with them only a day at a time. He's HUGE and overwhelms them!