We have 26 Buff Orpingtons. They came straight run and are currently 12 weeks old. When we moved them from their starter tractor into their larger hoop house/tractor a few weeks ago, we counted as they hopped over, and we got 13 cockerels and 13 pullets. Since they all look alike, it's the first time we'd had a chance to count!
But as they grow older, some of the "girls" have larger combs developing. And some of the "boys" have smaller combs and teeny wattles compared to the rest of the roos. This was all much easier when they were 7 weeks old; it was easier to tell who was what.
So what do I do in four weeks, when we send them to the butcher? I don't want to accidentally cull any girls, and I don't want to keep more than one boy. Is there a foolproof way to tell them apart, aside from pulling a chair up to the hoop house and waiting for them to crow before catching it? Won't there be roosters who aren't crowing yet at 16 weeks?
But as they grow older, some of the "girls" have larger combs developing. And some of the "boys" have smaller combs and teeny wattles compared to the rest of the roos. This was all much easier when they were 7 weeks old; it was easier to tell who was what.
So what do I do in four weeks, when we send them to the butcher? I don't want to accidentally cull any girls, and I don't want to keep more than one boy. Is there a foolproof way to tell them apart, aside from pulling a chair up to the hoop house and waiting for them to crow before catching it? Won't there be roosters who aren't crowing yet at 16 weeks?
