4 week old “pullet” mounting other chicks...

[jedichick]

So the last time we ended up with an accidental roo, he was kind enough to start crowing at 4 weeks old, which kept us from playing the guessing game, but this is new... Two weeks ago, we bought 4 chicks (3 that were less than a week old and one older (two week old) ameraucana (assumed Easter egger) sexed “pullet”), and immediately “she” stepped in acting like the perfect baby sitter watching over the little ones (we even named her Mary Poppins). However, this past weekend when we were cleaning out the brooder, we noticed that “she” is mounting the younger (now two week old) chicks. “Her” comb has also started turning red... has anyone else ever seen this (a pullet or cockerel mounting other chicks at such a young age). We have a small flock, and our other rooster is an OE bantam, so if this is a rooster, we definitely need to rehome him.
Also please excuse the mess in the pictures because we have the brooder in our storage room where we are planning for a garage sale.

 

[The Moonshiner]

That's a male.

 

[eclectic-em]

if a name change is in order.. may i suggest “Gary Poppins”?

 

[EmmaRainboe]

Cockerel.

 

[HappyClucker7]

Definitely a cockerel.

 

[Sammi_0411]

Definately a cockerel I like Gary Poppins

 

[jedichick]

if a name change is in order.. may i suggest “Gary Poppins”?

Gary Poppins is maybe the best name for an accidental rooster that I’ve ever heard! I actually laughed out loud when I read it!

 

[jedichick]

And thank you to everyone for confirming our suspicion. It’s actually kind of funny because two of the other younger chicks we bought were from the straight run bin (a wellsummer and salmon faverolle), but I did my research and thought I did a good job picking pullets (chose the wellsummer with the most eyeliner and darkest line down her back and a salmon faverolle that was early feathering with absolutely no black on the wings). However, I was still worried, but since Gary Poppins mounts all 3 of the younger chicks, he’s actually confirmed I did in fact choose pullets. I guess he’s been helpful too, but now it’s time to find him a new home!

 

[Frazzemrat1]

And thank you to everyone for confirming our suspicion. It’s actually kind of funny because two of the other younger chicks we bought were from the straight run bin (a wellsummer and salmon faverolle), but I did my research and thought I did a good job picking pullets (chose the wellsummer with the most eyeliner and darkest line down her back and a salmon faverolle that was early feathering with absolutely no black on the wings). However, I was still worried, but since Gary Poppins mounts all 3 of the younger chicks, he’s actually confirmed I did in fact choose pullets. I guess he’s been helpful too, but now it’s time to find him a new home!

Well, I hate to say it, but that's not really a complete male trait. Females will mount for dominance without trying to mate.

 

[jedichick]

Well, I hate to say it, but that's not really a complete male trait. Females will mount for dominance without trying to mate.

Actually, that was the first thing I researched on Sunday when I saw it happen, and I read the same (that sometimes young pullets will mount others to show dominance), so that’s what I thought was happening (which kinda made sense to me with her being the older baby sitter because I had them in a puppy play pen thing while I was cleaning the brooder, but the 3 smaller girls were just small enough to squeeze through the bars and get out while the older Mary/Gary Poppins was too big to get out, so I assumed it was because she was mad at them for sneaking out without her). Plus it seemed way too early for there to be actual mounting going on (although like I said my other rooster started crowing at this exact same age). Then her comb started turning red this week, and I saw red starting to come in on her shoulders... that’s when I officially started worrying!