Three Australorps and One Legorn, Hen or a Rooster?

cookiesoth

In the Brooder
6 Years
Sep 8, 2013
50
0
29
Australia, Adeliade
Hey all,

Just started off on backyard Chickens Website. I Live in Adelaide Australia, have to say I am hooked with my feathered friends and my wife thinks I am chicken mad:). My firsts test subjects were 4 Red Hens, (I think Rhode Island Reds) and they have been fantastic laying 3 eggs a day out of the four chooks. The look fantastic, fit and loving the big backyard.

With such success, many thanks to this webpage for the advise. I have purchased 4 more chickens, 3x Australorps ans 1x Leghorn. The store owner said they were 6 weeks old and i have had them for about a week. I have read many threads on the difference between a Hen and Rooster Subject and even though its a little early i would like to know from these pics if they are a Pullet or a Cock? My guess is the one with the three chicks are hens and the one on its own is a Rooster.

Cheers in advance.



 
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Wait a few more weeks on the chicks. Your hens are red sex links
 
The hens are sex links ,in your country they are more then likely Isa Browns.
The Australorps it's still hard to tell but the one by its self looks to be growing it's wattle faster but still not sure wait a few weeks the difference should be obvious by then.
 
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Cheers for the quick reply:)

Yep I think your right with the ISA Browns, pretty happy with them. They have been great egg producers and really friendly, a bit flighty though even with there wings clipped. Even though they jump on a 6 foot fence they still know where there home is. I know its crazy though I swear they just sit up there to look at the view (We live on top of a hill).

Have to wait and see if the chicks are Roosters though, if they are then I know a nice farm for them to go to where they are free to crow till there voice boxes fall out. Pretty keen on the White Face black Spanish Chickens for the next additions after these guys have matured. Any thoughts on the breed?
 
Your red hens are looking very nice, beautiful feathers. The red sexlinks all lay like mad world over it seems. They do seem to like finding the highest spots around to perch on don't they though.
With your chicks, agree the single is looking like a potential rooster, and I am suspicious of the black one on the bottom right in the other pictures, comb seems a little bigger and pinker than I'd want.
I have had a couple of WFBS, they were hatchery birds that came in an assortment, so not breeder birds. Actually did wind up quite liking them. They were very flighty/spooky, even more than my leghorns, but laid quite well (5/week) and were very friendly if they knew you, they did not like strangers. They tended to stick around though, and did not go broody, and did not hide their eggs. Their look was interesting also once they developed all the white on their faces.
 
Thank you Kelsie, Ha ha yes they defiantly love to get on higher ground but I am happy with that due to the paddock behind us there are lots of foxes and Kangaroos (My dog seems to keep them out of the backyard though). I am happy to take the risk of them flying over because they feel safe there, but they know where the food is and they have not ventured to the other side of the fence (I have had the ISA browns for 4 months now).

Yes I can see what you mean about the Australorp on the bottom right. Its is an interesting subject and a big learning curve telling a Hen from a Rooster at you young age for me. Kinda adds the element of surprise and I find it interesting. I am going to post weekly updates with pics to monitor there development for me and the users of this website to make it interesting. The closest house is about 40 meters away so if i get a rooster going to ask the neighbors if there bothered about it though I am more worried out my wife. I know my brother in law had a rooster, when it started to crow he got rid of it. The neighbor complained about getting rid of it because he actually liked the sound. Go figure Ha ha.
 
Haha, yes Foxes are a huge problem around here. There are only about Three kangaroos but they are harmless, they spook the Chickens though when they do come around. My other biggest worry is snakes, its coming to summer here and last year we had a few brown snakes in our backyard. With the Chickens that number might increase to so I am going to install a solar powered snake repeller and hope that works. All fun here in Australia :) but at least there are not many Hawks or Eagles in the area. I think that would be tough to combat:)
 
Do keep us updated, it is always interesting to see how the chicks develop. I have our version of ISA Browns, Red Stars, I really like them, they are wonderful layers and personable birds. Yours sound like much better fliers than mine are though, of course mine are not trying to avoid kangaroos, I think that would add a bit of encouragement. Foxes are a problem for chickens no matter where they are, think they rank second here behind raccoons for most common chicken predator outside of the city. We have dogs also, and they do take care of the foxes and other ground predators for us fortunately. Where I am, we really don't have a snake problem, know other parts of the country do though, but more snakes that eat eggs, rather than poisonous ones.
 

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