Can Bunny really be a boy?

[Bossom-hen]

Hi
I got two chickens at 10 weeks from a reputable breeder. One is definately a hen as is laying now, the other is not sure! This is quite a mature bird now 25 weeks. Up to about 4 weeks ago (just before a 2 week holiday) definately looked and behaved like a girl but started squawking loudly occasionally, nothing else odd and at the bottom of the pecking order. When I returned from hols her comb was noticeably bigger, however she started squating like a hen when you went to pick her up so this reassured me. I also saw her sitting in egg boxes and thought she'd laid 2 eggs. Although I couldn't be 100% sure they were hers I definately saw her sitting like a hen would. Once I returned from my hols I found she is now at the top of the pecking order and squawking a lot like a cockadoodle doo but without the proper tune. I have not seen her near the egg boxes for 1 week. I have not seen him attempt to mate with either of my girls, wouldn't he by now? I have looked back at all her photos as she's grown and she looks like a girl but now she doesn't. Is it me or does all this seems to have come rather late.


10 weeks


15 weeks old

20 weeks - although comb was bigger I wasn't troubled by this as this one is unrelated to my other two and I have had other bantams with much bigger combs see below

Today

Oh dear she does look like a he doesn't she in this photo, shouldn't she have spurs though? I dunno what I'm gonna do now.

 

[Chicken Girl1]

Can you get a better picture of profile view.

 

[MySweetChickens]

it looks like a hen but it could be she is one of the crowing hen instances

From My Pet Chicken

Can hens REALLY crow


Yes! It's not even that rare, either! In all-female flocks, or flocks in which the ratio of females to males is greater than 10:1, in many cases one female will take on male characteristics and become the "protector" of the rest of the flock. In addition to coming out with a half-crow, she'll usually cease laying, and she may even develop spurs to rival a male's. Strange, but true!


also look here


but then a could just be mistaking a hen for a rooster

 

[animalover14]

It may be that for some reason her hormones are messed up. In rare occasions, when there is no rooster, a hen may take on the role and begin to crow. It is impossible for a hen to turn into a rooster (or vice-versa) but if they do not produce enough of the right hormones they can begin to act strange. It usually happens in flocks or herds of all females. If you get a rooster, your hen will probably stop crowing. If you don't though I don't think it's permanent so don't worry.

 

[junebuggena]

That's a pullet. There are no male feathers at all on her. Cochins can be slow to mature, they usually start to lay at about 6 to 8 months. Are you sure she's not practicing an egg song?

(not my video)

 

[Bossom-hen]

Thank you all so much, my family had me convinced there for a second (they have been telling me for 3 weeks she's a cockerel), she has been hollering all day and it's not an egg song or the usual sound a hen makes before laying, definately almost a cockadoodle doo. HOWEVER just after I posted this she laid an egg I saw her, there can be no doubt, so definately a she. I can't tell you how relieved I am, I have a tiny garden with neighbours all around. I think she will settle down on the noise as she must be at the peak of her hormones right now. I love my gobby madam and have just given her hugs and sunflower seeds to celebrate.

 

[Bossom-hen]

My top hen Polly has been a bit out of sorts the last few weeks but is on the mend, I think she will soon re-assert her dominance and hopefully that will stop any crowing.

 

[Chicken Girl1]