Sexing an Orpington

[Massaman95]

First post!

I started breeding Ayam Cemani chicks, but the farmer accidentily sent an Orpington egg too! He's getting huge, very friendly, and so we are very much hoping it's a hen as we can't keep cocks when they start making noise.

I've never had Orpingtons before so I'm having trouble sexing. Does anybody have more experience with this breed?

Here are the pictures at 18 days old.

https://imgur.com/gallery/XHB3W

Cheers!

EDIT: Forgot to ask, what color Orpington will it become when it grows up?

 

[3riverschick]

As the Hackle feathers come in, a male will have pointed Hackle feathers. a female will have rounded Hackle feathers. that's about the best I can do for you right now.
Best,
Karen

 

[Massaman95]

As the Hackle feathers come in, a male will have pointed Hackle feathers. a female will have rounded Hackle feathers. that's about the best I can do for you right now.
Best,
Karen

Thanks a lot, very helpful! Can't wait for the feathers to start growing. Do you have any idea what kind of color it's going to be?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

I'm not sure how you can breed Ayam Cemani chicks without keeping around a noisy cockerel.

That being said... That appears to be a cockerel according to that dark color coming in. I THINK (low quality) Buff... meaning who knows what people are breeding at their farms. Could be buff cross.

To me saddle feathers are easier to tell they are pointed than hackle. But that's not usually before 10-12 weeks in many breeds. And Orps are supposed to be slow maturing.

Couple more weeks and you'll know for sure.

 

[Massaman95]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

I'm not sure how you can breed Ayam Cemani chicks without keeping around a noisy cockerel.

That being said... That appears to be a cockerel according to that dark color coming in. I THINK (low quality) Buff... meaning who knows what people are breeding at their farms. Could be buff cross.

To me saddle feathers are easier to tell they are pointed than hackle. But that's not usually before 10-12 weeks in many breeds. And Orps are supposed to be slow maturing.

Couple more weeks and you'll know for sure.

Well, I'm just buying the eggs and breeding them in an incubator, no cockerels needed for that!

Damn, hope it's not going to be boring-buff or a possibly ugly mix..

Thanks for the reply though!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Well, I'm just buying the eggs and breeding them in an incubator, no cockerels needed for that!

Damn, hope it's not going to be boring-buff or a possibly ugly mix..

Thanks for the reply though!

That's called hatching. Eggs don't breed. Can you just imagine two eggs having egg offspring?

Breeding implies that a male mated a female on your watch.

The other farmer is the one breeding. Selecting for certain qualities.

Hope you're having fun though!

You've got about 50% Ayam cockerels too.

Don't jump to assume I am correct on gender of the Orp though... it's still VERY early and features can change some. At my house we consider every chick to be a young cockerel... they are guilty by association until proven female.

 

[Massaman95]

That's called hatching. Eggs don't breed. Can you just imagine two eggs having egg offspring?

Breeding implies that a male mated a female on your watch.

The other farmer is the one breeding. Selecting for certain qualities.

Hope you're having fun though!

You've got about 50% Ayam cockerels too.

Don't jump to assume I am correct on gender of the Orp though... it's still VERY early and features can change some. At my house we consider every chick to be a young cockerel... they are guilty by association until proven female.

Ah, right, hatching. My bad, English isn't my native language!

We got 3 Ayam Cemani chicks, one of them is probably a cockerel, the other two are probably hens. The cockerels comb grows earlier than the hens!

 

[junebuggena]

That's not an Orpington. Looks like a red sexlink pullet.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

That's not an Orpington. Looks like a red sexlink pullet.

I was kind of thinking it looked red sex linkish... And wondered what made OP think it was a pure Orp? But I'm not familiar with many of the hybrids.

Ah, right, hatching. My bad, English isn't my native language!

We got 3 Ayam Cemani chicks, one of them is probably a cockerel, the other two are probably hens. The cockerels comb grows earlier than the hens!

Ah gee... English being my native language doesn't make it any less confusing sometimes!

The males waddles and combs will also turn a noticeably darker red much earlier in addition to being larger. Depending on breed and strain sometimes as early as 4 weeks. But the ladies should not darken up before 10 weeks, but usually later than that even... in MY experience. Hope they all are wonderful you!

 

[Massaman95]

Wait, not an Orpington?

Sigh, starting to dislike the farmer who brought me the eggs.. Doesn't even know which kind of chickens he has.. Very frustrating. :|

If it is, it's a cockerel though. It wasn't red but white when it hatched.