Rooster or Hen?

[NatJ]

Because I'm looking for some reinforcement. It is my first time raising chickens so I'm not a hundred percent sure.

That makes sense. Thanks for explaining.

I hope it doesn't start crowing though or I'm gonna have to eat it.

If you do have to eat this chicken, you can check the internal organs at butchering time to see what gender it actually is. Obviously, that doesn't work to tell gender on a live chicken, which is why I would only recommend it if the chicken needs to be killed anyway.

I love Speckles so I hope it keeps quiet.

I hope so too!

 

[ccoscina]

That makes sense. Thanks for explaining.


If you do have to eat this chicken, you can check the internal organs at butchering time to see what gender it actually is. Obviously, that doesn't work to tell gender on a live chicken, which is why I would only recommend it if the chicken needs to be killed anyway.


I hope so too!

Well i won't kill Speckles unless it starts crowing really loud all the time. It hasn't crowed yet. An occasional crow would be no big deal but the other two roosters became a security risk. As I stated before, my coop is not legal. It is right next to my neighbors yard and too close to qualify for a zoning permit. So I can't piss off the neighbors or it may endanger the flock. They complained to the once about the smell but I have taken measures to control the odor so they say everything is all good now. I also jump out from the bushes when they are walking to the cars and I bless them with some tasty eggs.

I wish i could have loud roosters but it just isn't safe. I would rather kill one rooster then have to kill a rooster and ten hens. If I starts crowing loud I will know for sure it is a rooster.

 

[ccoscina]

I just took a couple pics of the neck and back. The lighting wasn't perfect but but did my best to get a clear shot.

 

[Painted Calls]

I just took a couple pics of the neck and back. The lighting wasn't perfect but but did my best to get a clear shot.

Looks like male hackles, but I'm just not seeing saddles. Comb is also quite underdeveloped.

Wondering if it's not a stunted cockerel.

@EmmaRainboe

 

[Mountain Bird]

My vote goes to female based of first photos.

I had a Speckled Sussex once I adopted from a neighbor. She survived 2 raccoon attacks, was moved around twice due to a forest fire, and was being fed layer feed! (I know, so ridiculous!) since day-old age. She didn’t lay eggs until 8-9 months and she barely did so. Was always picked on by other hens.

The second photos actually look more roosterish, something there with those hackle feathers.

 

[EmmaRainboe]

Looks like male hackles, but I'm just not seeing saddles. Comb is also quite underdeveloped.

Wondering if it's not a stunted cockerel.

@EmmaRainboe

I’m on the fence.
With how horrible the diet is/was, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was male and just has been developing extremely slowly due to malnourishment.

But at the same time, nothing is obviously male except the hackles, which could also be a result of poor feathering due to lack of a nutritionally balanced diet.

 

[ccoscina]

Looks like male hackles, but I'm just not seeing saddles. Comb is also quite underdeveloped.

Wondering if it's not a stunted cockerel.

@EmmaRainboe

This is a buckeye. Pea sized combs are normal for this breed. They have the smallest combs of any American breed so therefore you can't use the same comb standards as other chicken breeds.

 

[EmmaRainboe]

This is a buckeye. Pea sized combs are normal for this breed. They have the smallest combs of any American breed so therefore you can't use the same comb standards as other chicken breeds.

She means it is underdeveloped for a pea comb.
She is very familiar with how peacombs work.

 

[ccoscina]

I’m on the fence.
With how horrible the diet is/was, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was male and just has been developing extremely slowly due to malnourishment.

But at the same time, nothing is obviously male except the hackles, which could also be a result of poor feathering due to lack of a nutritionally balanced diet.

The diet for my flock is not horrible. All of the other chickens developed fine. I have attached a picture of Favorite at 3 months and he had a beautiful comb, but was very dominant. Speckles is the lowest on the peck order. The other chickens didn't allow Speckles to eat which is why it was severely malnourished until I began hand feeding it. Once i began hand feeding it the condition improved. If the diet is so horrible, why did the other chickens develop perfectly fine? Why do all of my hens each lay an egg per day in the middle of December with no artificial lighting?

 

[EmmaRainboe]

If the diet is so horrible, why did the other chickens develop perfectly fine?

They may have picked out all the nutritional pieces, leaving all the empty calorie corn for that lowest in the pecking order.

Why do all of my hens each lay an egg per day in the middle of December with no artificial lighting?

Most pullets usually do.