A rooster among the pack

[ezicash]

I bought 4 Rhode island red pullets and after 11 weeks I noticed one of my RIR started looking different, bigger, red comb, longer feathers and seemed to be the leader of the pack. I live in a small community but having hens in my backyard is not looked apon nicely so I am doing my best to keep them under control. I love them all and hate to have to get rid of the rooster but how long do I have before he starts cock-a-doodle-do? They are going on 13 weeks now.

 

[NemerLuvPoultry]

My roosters are about 15 weeks right now. And I would say the have been crowing for about a week-week and a half. So probably any day now

 

[ezicash]

Thanks so much. I really hate to give him away since he seems to love his 3 hens and I have taken care of him since he was 2 weeks old. I have a farmer that has a flock free ranging will take my rooster.

 

[rc4u]

mine start crowing at ten weeks.. and the comb and wattles are much different than hens....if its just redder than its not a roo

 

[CeliaR]

I bought 8 chicks. I just wanted to try raising layers. Well one is a rooster. They haven't started laying yet. But I am worried about eating fertilzed eggs. How do can I tell if its fertilzed?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I bought 8 chicks. I just wanted to try raising layers. Well one is a rooster. They haven't started laying yet. But I am worried about eating fertilzed eggs. How do can I tell if its fertilzed?

Hi and welcome to BYC!
You might want to start your own thread so that folks can address your situation without getting it mixed up with the original post of this thread. That being said, what is your "worry" about eating the eggs? There is absolutely no concern with eating a fertilized egg vs. an unfertilized egg. Provided that you gather your eggs daily you will prevent the beginning of development of the chick -- hens lay for several days-a couple of weeks before they "set" the clutch. The eggs don't start to develop at all until that point - so that all the eggs hatch w/in a day or so of each other vs. hatching over a several day/week period as they would if they started to develop immediately when they were layed. Until the "set" the egg is just another egg.