Are growers with wattles always cockerels?

[chickenfan]

I have two young Orpington teenagers that have had wattles from a very early age, but have otherwise shown no signs of being cockerels. Is there any chance they could be pullets?

[chrismahon]

From our limited experience with Orpingtons, they 'show' very late compared with other breeds Chickenfan. Two went to 26 weeks before suddenly developing a 'cough' in the morning which very quickly became crowing. Up to that point they behaved just like all the pullets. The earliest to show was about 18 weeks if I remember correctly and I can't remember at all the growth of the wattles, other than they seemed the same as the others.

[chickenfan]

Thank you Chris. So the wattles that developed c 4-5weeks old are likely to mean they are cockerels? They are blue bantams.

[chrismahon]

I don't know Chickenfan? You will just have to be patient I think.

[chickenfan]

Thanks Chris. I'm glad I've still got reason to hope!

[Lordcluck]

Some Cockerels can hang back in their development of secondary sexual Features due to the presence of more dominant males. A kind of Pheromonal inhibitor produced by more Vigorous and confident Males semi ' castrates' them. Once seperated from the company of other males most of these birds will quite suddenly mature and grow full Masculine features. Like Chris says, the Big Asiatic breeds and their miniatures , are not overly endowed with combs and Wattles anyway, and females remain pale faced and underdeveloped in their head points right up to POL. So any early, noticeable reddening or growth in these regions in a group of Young Orp/Cochin/Brahma type fowls is usually indicitive of young males.