Need help with mystery crower - Buff Orpington or Black Australorp

[swmalone]

The one in the middle is actually the sex link. The australorp is the one on the right in the picture of all three. I am still trying to get a better profile picture of the australorp, but like I mentioned before she doesn't like the camera as much as the other two. I think the buff and the sex link start to pose when they see me out there with the camera.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

I agree that's a big comb on the BO but everything else about it says hen.

And I will say that of my three, a BO, JG and an EE, the BO is the quietest thing. Just makes these soft peeping sounds when I cuddle her. But if I'm not out to their run by 7am, I hear cackling. Like the egg song. And when I scoot right out, I'm horrified to find it's my BO, 4 feet off the ground on top of the compost bin, just BOK BOK BOK BAAWWWWK GAWWWWK!!! It's like she's on stage performing.

I had no idea that sweet little bird could make such a racquet. She'll quiet right down as soon as she sees me. Like, oh hi mom. I wasn't making any noise. Nope, not me. But I'm so happy to see you.

I'm seriously thinking about getting a webcam.

 

[MinnerBuckwheat]

When my roos started crowing, they only did once in awhile. They did not start off crowing all the time. My silkie roo is 20 weeks and crows maybe once a week for the past 3-4 weeks. I have a young barred OEGB that has crowed once this week. Only one of my roos crows daily right now.

 

[swmalone]

I saw on here somewhere that someone hooked up a webcam in the coop. It seems like it might be pretty entertaining. I have a very small, dark coop so it would be a bit of a problem for me.

 

[swmalone]

New pictures. Okay so still not the best pictures of the australorp but I snapped a couple of it and another of the buff orpington. Maybe this will help with the mystery if we get a few better looks.

 

[Elite Silkies]

Your Buff is def. a hen. I think your culprit is the Aussie. I raised them for over a year and mine tended to mature slower than other breeds. I thought one was a female forever!

 

[roysnider]

Did you hear crowing today? I do not see sickle feathers or saddle feathers like a roo would have. My vote is still that they are both hens. Have you gotten another egg?
My OEGB hen did a egg dance today just before she laid her egg and she made little cackle noises with her dance. It was quite funny to watch.
My Ameraucana young chickens that are not old enough to lay yet make loud sort of piercing squeaks every time I pick them up like they are calling to the others "Help me! She's gonna eat me!"
Chickens are so funny and interesting to watch. Very entertaining!
Hopefully soon you will discover the truth for your chickens and be able to keep all three of them.
Several of my hens of different breeds did not start laying until about 21 weeks of age and have Sumatra that have not laid yet and they are 27 weeks old.

 

[swmalone]

No no crowing this morning and no other eggs yet. So far I have only received the double soft shelled one on Saturday. I am hoping they are both hens, if not I will try to get the culprit to my nephew and he can add it to his flock. I just have to tell him he better do a better job of securing his coop because I found out a raccoon just killed a bunch of his chickens in the coop. He is only 12 so hopefully he can find some help with it.

 

[ChickenLove123]

Your Aussie looks like a girl to me. I hope (and think) you have three hens. And I thought it was good news that you've had only three crowing episodes in the past three weeks. My rooster just started crowing and he's crowed probably 4 of the last 7 mornings.

 

[AUChick9202]

Not sure about your buff. It does look like a roo compared to mine, but yours is older. I don't think your BA is a roo. My BA roo started getting combs and wattles at 3 weeks and by 12 weeks he had quite a large set. He did start out slowly with the crowing....it started at 8 weeks with one a week....then a few times a week at 10 weeks. But by 12 weeks, he was crowing multiple times a day. Your BA also doesn't exhibit what I have learned is "roo" behavior. My roo was the friendliest in our flock. He would always walk right up to me when I was in the yard....never skittish. I have a BA pullet that acts just like you describe yours acting.