Sexing the Australorp. Mystery or Myth?

[BubbaLikesIt]

I gather that is possible but takes some education and practice. Got anyone nearby that knows how to do it?

I've watched a few videos on it some years ago. I'll give it a try myself and see how it goes. If I make a mistake, fried chicken, try another.

 

[BubbaLikesIt]

I gather that is possible but takes some education and practice. Got anyone nearby that knows how to do it?

I could send you these Roosters free of charge. I'm sure they would make a very HELPFUL addition to your flock.

 

[Angela Thomson]

No they are actually very easy to sex. I got mine from TSC. I got exactly what I wanted. Hold out the wing of the chick then let it go back in about an inch. Your looking at the feather tips shape. Pullets feather lenths make a half rounded circle when pulled out. Cockerels will have a clear L shape to the wing. The bottom part of the L will appear in the front feathers of the wing. Also you can look at the feathers for double layers. Those are pulkets. Cockerels will not have a double layer. You pull the wing out again all the way this time and look at the feathers on the middle of the wing for double feathers. By 2 weeks I knew I had 3 girls and a boy (just what I wanted) because pullets tail feathers grow in first, while cockerel tail feathers come later.. my girls tails were an inch or so when my boy finally started to grow rail feathers.

At 4 weeks my cockerel had pink/red starting already under his beak and on his comb. His comb was significantly larger as they have a single comb.. and the girls combs stayed pale or yellow and small. Which only confirmed the sexes. They are now 7 months old ..no surprises on sexes!

Also look at behavior. Girls will be shy and low to the ground, boys will stand tall and act brave and are more friendly.. even as little chicks. Ps I did get my chicks straight run I also hand picked my chicks myself.. I like to see myself what I'm buying.

Edited to tell you also my cockerel had man feet as a chick and his legs were thicker with bigger feet/longer toes then my girls.. like when you buy a large breed puppy and they need to grow into those feet...

I have 8 Australorps total.. I love them. They are a beautiful and intelligent addition.

I sexed my own at Rural King and I'm pretty sure I got what I wanted. I was using the same technique you did with the wings. There really is a difference in the feathers.

 

[bruceha2000]

I could send you these Roosters free of charge. I'm sure they would make a very HELPFUL addition to your flock.

Uh, no thanks. We got an accidental Barnevelder cockerel in April. DD1 names the birds, his name was Trouble. She is an emotional vegetarian and wouldn't eat a fertilized egg even if it was caught as it was laid because it COULD have become a living being so a rooster would be trouble.

Trouble lived up to his name, viciously attacking the hen that raised them when he was about 5 months old. I think he had it in for her because a week prior she had landed almost on him when I let her out of the broody buster. I think he thought she was attacking him and they went at it like a couple of cock birds. Went back for more after I broke them up the first time.

He did NOT "forgive and forget", I had to chase him off her numerous times, he would beeline across the yard after her. We gave him to some vendor/friends at the Farmer's market after he ripped a hole in the back of her neck (she recovered). They have a lot of chickens but said they would like him. He didn't last 2 days, said he got killed by a coon. Or, you know, they might have been lying about that so DD1 didn't get upset. He was beautiful, if it were me, I would have kept him and eaten one of their mixed birds. I suppose it IS possible he was coon food so I will give them the benefit of the doubt.

 

[BubbaLikesIt]

Uh, no thanks. We got an accidental Barnevelder cockerel in April. DD1 names the birds, his name was Trouble. She is an emotional vegetarian and wouldn't eat a fertilized egg even if it was caught as it was laid because it COULD have become a living being so a rooster would be trouble.

Trouble lived up to his name, viciously attacking the hen that raised them when he was about 5 months old. I think he had it in for her because a week prior she had landed almost on him when I let her out of the broody buster. I think he thought she was attacking him and they went at it like a couple of cock birds. Went back for more after I broke them up the first time.

He did NOT "forgive and forget", I had to chase him off her numerous times, he would beeline across the yard after her. We gave him to some vendor/friends at the Farmer's market after he ripped a hole in the back of her neck (she recovered). They have a lot of chickens but said they would like him. He didn't last 2 days, said he got killed by a coon. Or, you know, they might have been lying about that so DD1 didn't get upset. He was beautiful, if it were me, I would have kept him and eaten one of their mixed birds. I suppose it IS possible he was coon food so I will give them the benefit of the doubt.

Wow. That bird has some mother issues. We had many mean roosters when I was a child. When I fed the chickens, I had to take a steel garbage can lid in with me and use it as a shield. We had Leghorn roosters that were at least 30" tall and would fight to their death. I have yet to see a rooster as big as the ones we had. I hated everyone of them and was first in line to tie them up on the clothesline and take their heads off.

 

[bruceha2000]

It was ONLY her. He was never aggressive with any other chicken or any people. Definitely did not have an Oedipus complex

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

I received my Australorps this morning. All 10 looked great.......and so do the 8 BSL Roosters they shipped with them as packaging. Jemima went nuts when we put 18 chicks under her this morning. I don't know how she does it but she's got them covered and it's 28 degrees outside (We have a heated coop so that helps).

I really love the breed. Glad all chicks arrived healthy and hen took to them. I cannot believe 18 chicks fit under 1 bird....so many

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

I sexed my own at Rural King and I'm pretty sure I got what I wanted. I was using the same technique you did with the wings. There really is a difference in the feathers.

Huge difference in feathers. It's so easy I think. I want EES and I'm nervous cause you have to go off color cause I've never seen anything but straight run.. then you get to wait 8 weeks. Blah I knew my australorps sex by 2 weeks!

 

[Kessel23]

I would say myth, I got 6 Black Australorp "Pullets" from a feed store and only 1 was a male, that is pretty good for a feed store

 

[BubbaLikesIt]

I really love the breed. Glad all chicks arrived healthy and hen took to them. I cannot believe 18 chicks fit under 1 bird....so many

That's what I said. She's got herself flattened out like a pancake and no less than 6 chicks at a time poking their heads out through her wings. She hadn't stopped cackling since the chicks arrived. In a weeks time she won't be able to cover all those chicks. I think I'm going to put a small heat lamp just outside of her nesting box. It's now 27 degrees outside but 55 degrees in the coop. The chicks have finished off a pint of water already and warming up to the chick feed. They must be 3 days old. I never have seen day old chicks go after water like that.