Sexing 7 weeks old Black Orpington

[Chicken Heel]

Years ago I received a Black Australorp chick in the mail that had a broken leg upon receipt, probably related to transit issues with the other chicks piling on it. At the time I debated putting it down but it was spunky and mingled with the others as everyone fed and drank water. It ended up being a rooster we named Hoppy and he lived quite nicely with his flock mates for 3 years before an infection in that leg got him. Through his lifetime, Hoppy would try to mate with the hens and didn't have much success, but he never stopped trying.

 

[ColtHandorf]

The biggest difference, visually, is that if he was an Orpington, he'd have very white legs.

That is incorrect. Black Orpingtons and a few others like Blues have black legs with white soles.

https://www.thecuckoopoultrystudofaustralia.com/orpington-type-and-main-colours.html

 

[Frazzemrat1]

That is incorrect. Black Orpingtons and a few others like Blues have black legs with white soles.

https://www.thecuckoopoultrystudofaustralia.com/orpington-type-and-main-colours.html

ok. I stand corrected. Never been a fan of Orps, and the ones I commonly see are the buffs.

 

[ColtHandorf]

Generally speaking they do all have white skin, but that doesn't always correlate to white feet/legs. I'm not a fan of the Buffs at all. I fell in love with Suede @speckledhen 's Blue Orpington rooster a hundred years ago when the BBS first gained in popularity. THis is my first year raising any though.

 

[speckledhen]

Yes, Blue Orps have slate legs, though their skin is still white.
@ColtHandorf, that does seem like a hundred years ago! Suede left us in Sept 2012 at 5 years 8 mos old. He will always be missed here.

 

[ColtHandorf]

@speckledhen - Well you'll be happy to know that his namesake is doing well. Kind of a butt to the younger birds, and one of his potential girlfriends is definitely a little cockerel. But he's thriving and getting bigger. Still no interest in crowing or breeding but he's young for that yet. How long was it before Suede was interested in doing "man things"?

 

[speckledhen]

@speckledhen - Well you'll be happy to know that his namesake is doing well. Kind of a butt to the younger birds, and one of his potential girlfriends is definitely a little cockerel. But he's thriving and getting bigger. Still no interest in crowing or breeding but he's young for that yet. How long was it before Suede was interested in doing "man things"?

Gosh, I don't really remember! That was so long ago. Suede was never a very motivated breeder so he never needed a large number of hens in his harem. I loved his mournful, howling crow. Still have a recording of it.

 

[Maiahr]

Ok, took me a while to understand Suede was a bird not a human.
@Chicken Heel thank you for the story! I had this crazy thought running through my head to make a crutch for this boy (meaning the Orpington not a human) but too busy now with making hatchers.