New pics, new questions (pic heavy)

[Robin'sBrood]

Sorry if I drive you guys crazy with this, but if we have any roos, we will have to return them.

I want to know asap because the longer we have them, the more attached we're getting to them. At first I said I would wait until I heard any crowing to make the decision, but the more I watch my 6 and 10 year olds getting attached to their pets, the more I know I need to make this decision sooner rather than later. It's going to be hard enough on me to have to do this.

Okay, here they are once again.

Buff Orptington at 8 weeks -- roo?

Black Australorp at 8 weeks -- pullet?

SLW at 8 weeks -- roo? (also, bantam??)

Millie Fleur bantams at 7 weeks -- pullets?

& close-up of one at 6 weeks (they look almost identical)

THANK YOU!!

 

[mmajw]

Buff Orp. Looks like a Roo
Black Australorp looks like a roo only because he is looking like waddles are redder than they should be.
SLW looks like Roo
Millie Fleurs look like pullets

I wouldnt get rid of any until I was 200% sure.

 

[Robin'sBrood]

Quote:
Really?? I was coming to terms with having to return the BO and the SLW, but the Australorp too?

Does the teeny tiny SLW look bantam size to you? He is at least 1/2 the size smaller than the BO and the Australorp and supposed to be the same age. He is just a tad bigger than the MFs and a week older. Also, I've noticed he tends to hang out with the little girls, while the BO and Australorp tend to hang out together. Sweet.

 

[mmajw]

I have never had Black Australorps before so I am not sure how they mature but the waddles look real red unless it is just the pic.

The SLW does look smaller, did you buy as reg. breed or bantam?

Like I said it if were me I wouldn't get rid of any yet.

 

[Robin'sBrood]

Quote:
Supposed to be standard, but the guy did have bantams as well. Oops. I guess since it is probably a roo, it doesn't really matter anyway. :|

At what age should roos start crowing?

 

[mmajw]

Some people have posted that they have had some start as early as 5 days old, mine always started around 8 weeks.

 

[Robin'sBrood]

Oh, I found some pics of SLW bantam pullets. They seem to have more white on them than the standards, so just maybe (hopefully) ours is a girl after all. ??

I'm going to try to keep them all for a few more weeks anyway. Hopefully we'll know for sure by the time they're 10 weeks old or so.

 

[mmajw]

Good luck with them

 

[Robin'sBrood]

EEEK!!

When I went out to feed my chicks a little while ago, I saw that the BO's left wattle, this one...

has probably DOUBLED in size since I took this picture, just yesterday! It's probably twice the size of the one on the right side. I can't take any pictures now because it's raining cats & dogs here, but, WOW! Is that possible? ... normal?

 

[archmichelle]

I think your BO is a roo for sure. He/she looks exactly like my BO roo at that age. He started crowing at about 10 or 11 weeks, so start listening.

I had a Black Australorp roo who matured much faster than my BO. His comb was turning red at about 4 weeks and he was the first to try to crow at about 8 weeks. By the time he was 8 weeks, his comb was clearly red as well as he had very obvious waddles. Based on what mine looked like, I think you have a pullet. Here is a pic to compare. He was about 9 or 10 weeks here right before we rehomed him. You can see my BO in the background. Maybe this will give you some hope