one of my hens may be a rooster - need some seasoned opinions

[brandichick]

Hello, this is my first time with chickens. I have had my eye on one particular 'hen' waiting to make sure she doesn't become a rooster (I've noticed some 'roosterish' behavior in the past 2 months but was told it's way too early to tell) and I am afraid she/he is. She is getting larger than my others and her tail has recently 'popped' out a bit. Today I noticed her feathers looked a bit messy around her neck and when they got on their roost tonight I touched her to smooth them down I felt what seems like new feathery spikes (excuse incorrect terms) underneath and they are pushing her existing feathers up. I immediately came in and googled 'partridge cochin rooster' and looked at pics and read a bit. I saw the roosters seemed to have an extra sort of collar of feathers and read it described as hackles. I think her/his are growing (four months old) I'm afraid I will hear a cock-a-doodle-doo next. I'm sad because I'm in the suburbs and can have hens but no roosters. I will have to give him away to a rooster rescue place. Does this sound like a rooster to you? I can post a pic tomorrow if it helps but I wanted to ask asap.

Thanks

 

[mmmeyer]

pictures would help, but by your discription congrats it a boy...sorry..

 

[aart]

Pics would help, of several of your birds including the suspected cockerel, close ups of their combs especially and hackle and saddle feathers.

All birds get those spiky new feathers growing in all over, a cockerel hackle and saddle feather tips will begin to be very pointed at about 3-4 months...where the pullets feather tips will be rounded.

 

[brandichick]

here are some pics I just snapped of the 'suspect'

 

[enola]

Yep that is a rooster, sorry.

 

[aart]

Oh yeah....that's a cockerel for sure, if the comb didn't tell the tale, those saddle feathers certainly do!

 

[enola]

The red on his shoulder is the dead give away.

 

[donrae]

Yep, that's a rooster. Not a partridge, though, more like a mixed color.