Boys and puberty - what age usually?

I've always thought that boys start going through puberty about the same age as girls, which nowadays seems to be getting earlier with many kids.

Well, my son is almost 9 and he had a little pimple on his nose the other day. I've also noticed that the little peach fuzz "baby" hair that has always been on his upper lip...when I looked him from the side while in the car, it seemed to look a little different, maybe a little darker even than normal. At first I thought it may just be the way the sun was hitting his face that it looked that way. Then, a couple of days later he got a little pimple on his nose.

His appetite has gone CRAZY! He's constantly hungry (but VERY picky still, in case you may have read my other post about that...LOL). Like at BurgerKing, where he used to get a 4-piece chicken tenders kids meal and then moved up to a 6-piece BigKids meal, NOW he gets the 6-piece BigKids meal AND the 4-piece chicken tenders off their $1 value menu -- 10 pieces!!

I've noticed and other family members have also noticed that his looks are changing somewhat.

I mean, I know many kids are starting puberty earlier than the "norm" and a there's been a lot of discussions about this because of the hormones, steroids and such given to the animals..like for cows to produce more milk and for chicken to grow faster, etc.

Well, since I've really been thinking a lot about my son's diet...mostly chicken and the milk he drinks..could it be possible to be starting puberty at that young of an age?

What are some of the signs to look for?

Am I just crazy for thinking he could possibly be going through puberty? LOL

His body could be revving up to begin the process of puberty--but it could be another two years before his body kickstarts into gear.

Pimples don't necessarily herald puberty either btw. :)

All kids have a different timeclock based on their genetic makeup. My two daughters couldn't be more different in terms of their physical development.

#1 Daughter (age 13) is already well into adolescent development (boobs, surly disposition, wild mood swings, etc.) while #2 daughter (who is 12) has a fair ways to go.

And I have read the studies about hormones in the food chain and their effect on human development. Although there is a lot of anecdotal evidence I can't find any studies that indicate definitively that drinking milk with growth hormones has ANY impact on the onset of puberty.

My #2 daughter is probably a good example. Her diet has been much richer in terms of milk and poultry than daughter #1.

As for signs of puberty in boys I couldn't describe it--but I know it when I see it.

Ask a man. Their moods are inscrutable to me.