Mystery Chicken

[BantamLover21]

Hello again!

I adopted the little tyke in the end and called 'her' Bluebell. I also managed to find her a couple of friends that were the same size as her. Two Partridge Old English Game pullets that I named Saffron and Cinnamon. I let them run around in the yard every afternoon and managed to snap some pictures to help you have a better look at Bluebell's body, tail, legs and comb. Let me know if you still believe she's a pullet, and roughly her age and breed. I'll keep my fingers crossed that it's not a roo.

Cheers,
Gold Coaster

"Her" coloring and feathers are those of a pullet. Though those legs are really thick...But that is probably just a characteristic of her breed.

 

[Gold Coaster]

Thank you Bantamlover! I'll keep you updated.

Is there any other tell-tale signs of roos of this breed that I should keep an eye out for over the next few weeks?

Cheers,
Gold Coaster

 

[BantamLover21]

Thank you Bantamlover! I'll keep you updated.

Is there any other tell-tale signs of roos of this breed that I should keep an eye out for over the next few weeks?

Cheers,
Gold Coaster

Well, I don't know what breed she is, so I don't know about any specific signs. But if she's a rooster, she should grow in pointed hackle (neck) and saddle (back) feathers soon. She'll also develop longer, curved and pointed tail feathers, called sickles. Her breed looks to have a small comb, but I would also expect the comb to increase in size and get redder (keep in mind, though, that a reddening comb is also a sign of a pullet getting ready to lay). And of course, if she's a rooster, she'll eventually start crowing.

 

[Tricoglossus]

She's a lovely looking bird. Please update us on how she turns out.

 

[RedJungleFowl]

Its a hen for sure because I have raise Thai Gamefowl and they are the same. It's a hen b/c it has a very small comb and has a sharp tail unlike if it was a rooster it would have grew some curl tail feather. But your very lucky to own one they are very expensive to even get here in the U.S if u want a pure one.

 

[Gold Coaster]

Thanks again to all those who offered me advice about Bluebell's gender and breed. A lot of time has passed since I last posted, but Red Jungle Fowl reminded me about this thread and to post a photo. Red Jungle Fowl you are spot on, I have identified Bluebell as a Blue Thai Stag which is indeed a very rare breed and here in Australia they can cost $200.00 a pop.

Also, Bluebell has been renamed... because she turned out to be a he.

Meet Phoenix!





It's all love and war where Phoenix is concerned. One minute he's very affectionate and wants cuddles, the next moment he launches into battle when your back is turned. He's almost one year old, but we've decided to keep him because he is the best guardian roo for my chickens. You should have seen him tear after a cat that somehow managed to jump our fence. If he had actually managed to catch up with the critter I would have been more worried for the cat than my roo. Haven't seen the cat since.

I would love a Thai Gamefowl pullet but there aren't many breeders around where I live and my Avian Vet has informed me that the Marek's vaccination is hard to come by, so many breeders who claim to vaccinate might be telling me porkies.

Red Jungle Fowl, your Thai pullets are beautiful. I can actually see the difference between the pullet and the young roo after comparing your photos with mine. The legs are the best tell tale signs in this breed. I remember when I first got Phoenix his legs were very thick for his size. Then the rest of the feathering came through and he started crowing.

Cheers,
Gold Coaster

 

[RedJungleFowl]

Thanks again to all those who offered me advice about Bluebell's gender and breed. A lot of time has passed since I last posted, but Red Jungle Fowl reminded me about this thread and to post a photo. Red Jungle Fowl you are spot on, I have identified Bluebell as a Blue Thai Stag which is indeed a very rare breed and here in Australia they can cost $200.00 a pop.

Also, Bluebell has been renamed... because she turned out to be a he.

Meet Phoenix!





It's all love and war where Phoenix is concerned. One minute he's very affectionate and wants cuddles, the next moment he launches into battle when your back is turned. He's almost one year old, but we've decided to keep him because he is the best guardian roo for my chickens. You should have seen him tear after a cat that somehow managed to jump our fence. If he had actually managed to catch up with the critter I would have been more worried for the cat than my roo. Haven't seen the cat since.

I would love a Thai Gamefowl pullet but there aren't many breeders around where I live and my Avian Vet has informed me that the Marek's vaccination is hard to come by, so many breeders who claim to vaccinate might be telling me porkies.

Red Jungle Fowl, your Thai pullets are beautiful. I can actually see the difference between the pullet and the young roo after comparing your photos with mine. The legs are the best tell tale signs in this breed. I remember when I first got Phoenix his legs were very thick for his size. Then the rest of the feathering came through and he started crowing.

Cheers,
Gold Coaster

Hmm I was for sure that it would be an hen but I guess I was wrong but your Thai rooster is very beautiful. It would make such a good protector against hawks.

 

[Tricoglossus]

Wow and he looked so much like a pullet when he was younger! Thank you so much for providing an update. Glad you could keep him - have you had trouble with him crowing in your neighbourhood?

 

[Gold Coaster]

We love the little soul, even though he's quite cheeky. His breed the Blue Thai Stag, is primarily used for cock-fighting, which I detest by the way, so he has an aggressive nature (probably bred into him). I don't know for sure because the Animal Welfare League (where I adopted him from) won't divulge the history of their animals, but I have this feeling that he was rescued from somebody who wanted to use him for fighting. The interesting part is that he loves being cuddled and stroked and enjoys being held. Every evening he jumps up on my lap demanding to be hugged. But during the day if I take the chooks some kitchen scraps, try to refill their water containers, or collect the eggs from the coop he would kick me if I don't watch him. It's as if he can't help being combative but every night wants me to reassure him that I still love him nevertheless.

Initially we were concerned that our neighbours would be bothered by his crowing, but it's been almost a year and nobody seems to mind. I guess it's because there are quite a few neighbours around us who also have chickens and roosters. I hear them every morning communicating with Phoenix across the valley, so everything seems well so far, touch wood.

Do you have a rooster Tricoglossus? Also, what breeds of hens do you own and for how long have you been keeping chooks?

Cheers,
Gold Coaster

 

[Tricoglossus]

Do you have a rooster Tricoglossus? Also, what breeds of hens do you own and for how long have you been keeping chooks?

Cheers,
Gold Coaster

Well I do have a few roosters actually! Only one of them is "unaltered", so to speak. His name is Percy and he is a white standard silkie. I live in suburbia so he wears a rooster collar to keep his crows quieter and to appease the neighbours. He has a flock of: 4x white and white and buff silkies; 1 splash polish; 2 houdans; 1 araucana; and 1 dark indian game bantam. Also in the flock are two roosters who have been given suprelorin implants so that they don't crow or act like roosters (I hate parting with any of my birds, so the suprelorin has helped me keep my excess roosters!) One is a houdans and the other is an Indian game bantam. The Indian game is called Pancake, and he is very tame, as he was a singleton chick and was basically hand raised by my partner. We also have two new silkie chicks that hatched on Friday, they are Percy's first offspring, and I am away at the moment in South Australia so I have only seen photos and a few videos of them so far - they look adorable!

So I have been keeping chooks since the beginning of 2012. I always wanted to have some and finally I just went and got some. So glad I did - they make the best pets. I really love the diversity of breeds available. When I get my own house I will have so many more! Can't wait!