Do female hens have spur buds on their legs?

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chickengal

chickengal

In the Brooder
10 Years
Mar 21, 2009
62
4
41
I know roosters have spurs, but do hens have little spur buds. My chicks are about 8 weeks old and many of them have a little bump on each leg where a spur should develop if it is a rooster. Please tell me I don't have mostly of roosters! I am hoping hens have a little bump on their leg too. I also have three polish, 2 slikie, 2 bantam leghorns, 1 golden seabright, 1 serama, 3 millie flur. I will be terribly sad if most of them are roosters! What will I do with that many roosters????
 
Hens can have spurs and spur bumps. I had a Polish hen who had really long spurs, although they weren't sharp. They were pretty dull. And alot of game hens have spurs, too.

ETA: Spurs are bad to go by with sexing, because hens will have bumps sometimes from the day they're born. Actually I recall hearing that all hens have at least bumps.
 
Last edited:
yes, they all have bumps, and some hens will grow spurs too though its not very common. I have had several Cochin females develope spurs.
 
Hi, I'm a brand new user and don't know a lot yet but I do know a little about your question. I have 5 brahmas, 4 of which are definitely girls, and one seems to be a boy. The girls are 22 weeks old and all of them have small spur buds, right back from 15 weeks old onwards. The boy (19 weeks) is now developing longer spurs than the girls. So I would say that yours aren't necessarily cockerels, and yes there is hope!!! Well I hope so, anyway.
smile.png
 
I breathe a sigh of relief. We have 5 chicks that are 3 weeks old, and I like many other novice chicken owners am in a chronic state of "do we have a rooster?" as we have to send them away if they are. I noticed 3 of them today with the bump on the back and am glad to hear that it doesn't mean we will be down to two. It is hard when I am not a very good wait and see person! We do have and Americauana and a Barred Rock who seem huge and more aggressive. Really hoping it is just personality, not Roo-ism :)
 
I was relieved reading all of your posts. I was looking at my 8-12 week old pullets today, and saw that most of them have what appear to be spur buds, while my grown hens seem to have completely smooth legs. I panicked for a minute and ran in to search for an answer. I'm glad that I'm not the only one, and that I may still have plenty of girls.
 

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