The Age-Old Question: pullets or roos?

[AuntieE]

I have 6 7 week old australorps. I bought them straight run and figured I'd end up with a couple of roos, but it looks like I might have 4 roosters!
Two I am sure are pullets, 2 I am pretty convinces are roos, but the remaining 2 I'm not sure of. The have redder combs and wattles, but are not quite as developed as the 2 bigger roos. What do you think?

In this one the 2 in the front are the ones I think are roos, the pullet is in the back, and then my runt is in the middle with a very red, but definitely smaller comb and wattle.

This one I thought was a pullet until the comb really started growing. It's not quite as red as the other ones, but way more developed than the pullets who have very small, completely flesh colored combs.

Thanks!

*my first attempt posting pics, so hopefully I did it right

 

[ggrap]

You have 3 roos in the first picture and one in the bottom picture. Pullets in this breed don't show red combs that big at that age. Like people, statistically you will get 50/50 with a straight run. But it seems to me like more often than not there are more boys than girls. I have decided it is worth the extra money to ensure mostly all girls if that is what I want. Otherwise, this is usually what happens.

 

[TwoCrows]

I think you are correct in that in the first pic, the one in the back is definitely a pullet. Your "runt" in the middle looks rooish to me with the red comb. In the last pic, that comb is pretty big for a 7 week old Australorp girl, so I think that one is also a roo. Lots of roos!

 

[fshinggrl]

Yes, looks like 3 cockerals in the first photo.

 

[AuntieE]

Thanks

That's the way I've been leaning, but thought some other opinions would be good. Luckily, I have 4 RIRs that are definitely pullets, so I'm OK- although I'm working on preparing the kids for the roos to be "going to a new home"- in other words- processed.

 

[YYZ]

When u buy day old chicks at the feed store...I always order hens. So how does the feedstore only get hens in. they themselves only order hens? Just curious.

 

[AuntieE]

At my TSC they will have "pullet bins", usually production reds and leghorns, but generally they just have straight run for all the other breeds in the store. You can place orders with them for a particular breed, but I haven't done it myself, so I don't know if you can request by sex or not.
This is just my particular store, it may be different elsewhere. I considered ordering from a hatchery since you can buy only pullets, but the shipping was pretty heavy, so I decided to take my chances.

 

[YYZ]

So you can only get hens then right??
What exactly is a "pullet"?

 

[AuntieE]

Yep- you can just get hens.
A pullet is just a female chick.

 

[YYZ]

Quote:
Ok Thanks Auntie......i thought that was it but i wasnt sure. Felt like a dummy asking too.