16 week old Buff Cochin hen crowing occasionally ? is this normal or do I have a rooster?

[jbahros]

She is much larger than the other chickens (7 in the group purchased at the end of April). She is being aggressive with the other chickens in her group but not with the other original 10 that are now 14 months old. She was crowing one morning but it was not a super loud crow. She was then pulling on the back feathers of the other chickens in her group. She doesn't look like a rooster, but she quite large and tail feathers are a little pronounced. Im not sure what is going on. I have plenty of room for them, 10x12 foot chicken coop, 2 large enclosed areas for them to run. No other signs of stress noted in the other chickens, except the black Australorp has just had a large molt. I love any thoughts, advise.

Thank you,
Jessica

 

[azygous]

Got a pic? That would enable us to tell you for sure.

Although hens do crow, I've had several, it sounds like you have a cockerel. If those pronounced tail feather indlude curved sickel feathers shooting out from the base of the tail, it's a cockerel. Usually the feathers will be much more deeply colored than the pullets.

 

[3KillerBs]

Yes, photos, please.

While some hens *do* crow -- and I've witnessed it from my dauther's MIL's best layer -- it's almost always a mature hen at least a year old so crowing at this age is an almost certain sign that it's a cockerel rather than a pullet.

 

[jbahros]

here are some photos

 

[Halfpasthen]

here are some photos

100% boy

 

[FocusonJesus]

That is a rooster 100% .

 

[FlipFlopFarmer6279]

Sorry he's a cockerel.

 

[jbahros]

Oh boy you guys are good!! what a fast response! He is not crowing now and when he did crow is was not obnoxiously loud. I'm just thinking of my neighbors. Are cochin roosters not as loud as other breeds? Im happy to have a rooster. my mother in law lives behind us and good friends to one side and other neighbors farther away so I'm thinking I will be ok. the town is very chicken friendly too.

 

[Halfpasthen]

Oh boy you guys are good!! what a fast response! He is not crowing now and when he did crow is was not obnoxiously loud. I'm just thinking of my neighbors. Are cochin roosters not as loud as other breeds? Im happy to have a rooster. my mother in law lives behind us and good friends to one side and other neighbors farther away so I'm thinking I will be ok. the town is very chicken friendly too.

It takes a while for their crow to mature. Only time will tell how noisy he will be.

 

[jbahros]

oh no...