18wk Dominique, gender confused?

Hey folks. Let me get right into the brass tacks here. We bought 3 biddies some time back, and two ended up being very clearly cockerels. However, we are now down to just one, and it's a now-18wk old Dominique that we had affectionately (quite possibly incorrectly) dubbed Freida.

Here's the problem, Freida has recently taken up crowing. A lot. Our last Dominique cockerel had started much sooner. It also has taken to singling out and targeting our little silkie hen and just downright attacking her any opportunity it can. No one else, just the Silkie (poor DeeDee). Our Silkie cockerel who is currently top of the pecking order has taken to chasing Freida around in the mornings, and Freida just trying to get away.

Every so often, she takes a whack at him, but then apparently realizes it's not the hen and backs down, with old DumDum in hot pursuit, beak first. On occasion she exhibits as if she is going to challenge our boss-hen, Ethel, but she usually changes her mind very fast about that. We don't call Ethel our 'buttnugget' for nothing.

If you could help us identify Frieda for sure, it would be a lifesaver. At the very least, we can start calling it Fred >_<. All of these pictures were taken about 20 minutes ago.

Fred isn't at all confused as to his gender. He just didn't want to get his butt kicked by the more dominant, earlier developing males so he kept things quiet until they were gone. Now his hormones are flowing and he's trying to mate.

donrae said:

Fred isn't at all confused as to his gender. He just didn't want to get his butt kicked by the more dominant, earlier developing males so he kept things quiet until they were gone. Now his hormones are flowing and he's trying to mate.

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X2 on donrae's post.

He's got 'light' barring, which only males can have, and he's got long, thin,pointed male saddle feathers. He has never been confused, he was just low man on the totem pole.

Hi and

Yep that is definite male you got their. X3 on donrae's post. I would see if you can find him a new home, or at least separate him from your silkie hen. If he's doing that he is going to stress her out beyond measure, and could even possible kill her trying to mate that much especially since she has the other rooster to worry about. At his age right now he's just getting on his feet and so he's looking for hens that are smaller than him, that he can mate with that won't stand back up to him, and your little silkie girl seems to be his favorite right now. I have problems like that right now with two of my cocks so I am needing to keep them separate. Hope this helps.

CherriesBrood~

Cockerel

Thanks everyone, I did notice feathering, but wishful thinking was for a hen.:cd

CathrynK said:

Thanks everyone, I did notice feathering, but wishful thinking was for a hen.

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You're welcome.

cockerel - please don't let your silkie girl continue to be rooster abused.

I have sectioned off my Silkie from the others and am working on a coop just for my silkies and my smaller chickens. Fred has taken to a larger hen so I'm hoping to allow my little Dee Dee some time out with the others. I think my Silkie cockerel misses her. They used to sleep together.