4 1/2 month old Male or female olive egger?

[hbhoffman]

This one is 4 1/2 months old olive egger and until 3 weeks ago was just like the rest...until one morning (we think it is this one - all rest are pullets) we heard a quiet crow. Anyone care to help me confirm she is a he or vice versa?

 

[speckledhen]

That is 100% MALE. Saddle feathers are right out there in your face, all nice and gold and rooster-ly.

 

[sourland]

See the pointy hackle and saddle feathers - along with the flowing tail coverlets they confirm your suspicions. He's a cockerel.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

x3, very pretty!

 

[Peep-Chicken]

Yep that's a pretty cockerel!

 

[donrae]

Agree that's a cockerel. That first photo is one of the best for illustrating saddle feathers, cause they're such a contrast with the body color. Your hens won't have those feathers.

 

[ThePRfan]

Yes.The dark red combing,the curly tail,the beautiful feathers give it
That's a rooster.

 

[hbhoffman]

Oh man! Then how come he has not crowed sooner???
I was wondering but since it is a copper maran crossed to be an olive egger I didn't know for sure and no crowing either (!) until once 2 weeks ago for a split second and this morning for a literal split second, one time crow! You don't even hear it from 30' away!
Going to need to find a good home for him. He is held daily, doesn't attack anything, is gorgeous with good lines and is a good watcher for the rest of the flock.
Thanks everyone for chiming in! Grateful to have my suspicions confirmed (but why didn't he crow as a chick??)

 

[donrae]

4+ months is pretty average for my cockerel to start crowing, so he's right on schedule far as I'd be concerned.

 

[hbhoffman]

Thanks, glad to know that. My others started crowing at 6 weeks! We would all be rolling around laughing at them trying to crow!
It was so funny to hear them and worth getting up to have a huge laugh first thing. One would start and then get choked up, another would start strong then die off in the middle and yet another would start off weak and finish strong then trip over himself with pride and joy.