Sex my Orpington, Please.

[WendyF]

Here is my 8&1/2 week old Black Orpington, Raven, from Meyer Hatchery. Can anyone tell at this age if she is a pullet?

 

[BantamLover21]

Looks like a pullet, for now. However, if those wattles/comb become much larger in the next few weeks, I'll change my guess to cockerel. Orpingtons can be tricky to sex.

 

[fshinggrl]

Orpingtons are notoriously hard to sex. My guess would be a cockerel at this point, but not 100% sure.

 

[Wyandottes7]

I'm thinking pullet.

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

8 1/2 weeks I would have to guess roo. That's a lot of red for a 9 week pullet......

 

[WendyF]

Thank you all for trying. After I got home from work I compared 'her' wattles & comb to our Lavender & Blue Orpingtons which are both a month older than Raven, and Raven's are a lot redder than theirs. Raven's wattles are also twice the size of theirs. I'll give 'her' as long as we can, but if 'she' starts crowing, we will probably have to re-home. Our City Ordinance doesn't allow us to have males. Raven is very, very sweet, so I may try the no-crow collar from mypetchicken, but DH will not be happy if 'she' displays roo-like aggression once the hormones kick in. Of course, we have raised 'her' all wrong to turn into a great roo. 'Her' life has been full of cuddles & pets & hand feeding from day one. Out of 17, she is our only roo-ish looking one. I guess we're very lucky on the numbers, but...

I'm so attached to each one! I never imagined I would love the chickens as much as I do...

 

[HighStreetCoop]

Here is my 8&1/2 week old Black Orpington, Raven, from Meyer Hatchery. Can anyone tell at this age if she is a pullet?

It's so hard to believe in just a few weeks my chicks will be that big! Though I guess when I think about how much they eat it shouldn't be, LOL!

 

[WendyF]

Yes, Raven is huge! Her older Orpington flockmates are not much bigger, and they have a whole month on her...probably yet another indicator Raven is a roo...:/ I would love to see pics of your babies, if you have any .

 

[HighStreetCoop]

Here are a few. I have 5 splash, 2 black, 2 blue, and one that I can't decide if it's a black or a blue. They've just reached the "hand = food" instead of "hand equals DOOM" phase of taming-up. I get mobbed when I'm changing their water or rearranging their bedding, LOL!

 

[WendyF]

I think Orpingtons are the sweetest babies ever! (Well, 2nd to Ameraucanas) Your little fluff balls are adorable!