7 month old Columbian Wyandotte-rooster or hen?

[5crazies]

And another. Wow, this is really interesting! We never suspected it was a cockerel until it was 7 months old
http://www.scoopfromthecoop.com/when-she-becomes-he-spontaneous-sex-reversal-in-chickens/

 

[Wyorp Rock]

My son named it Sprinkles.

Great name!
Well...it's not really a "sex change" meaning they don't turn into a male, the female embryo has 2 ovaries, but only the left one develops. The right one shrinks during development and is none functioning. It's possible if the left is damage that the right one could develop and replace it.
A hormone imbalance could cause a hen to develop outward male characteristics - comb/wattle/feathering.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Yes, that's one possibility. I have also seen some very manly hens that laid eggs. So time will tell. I don't believe it's a rooster, but it's always possible it has both sex organs, so it could technically be a hermaphrodite as well.

 

[5crazies]

Great name!
Well...it's not really a "sex change" meaning they don't turn into a male, the female embryo has 2 ovaries, but only the left one develops. The right one shrinks during development and is none functioning. It's possible if the left is damage that the right one could develop and replace it.
A hormone imbalance could cause a hen to develop outward male characteristics - comb/wattle/feathering.

Well we bought it thinking it was a pullet, so if it is a hen and she lays, great! That’s exactly what we wanted. On the other hand, my husband has been wanting a rooster so when we thought it may be a rooster he was happy. So either way it’s fine. Hopefully I’ll start finding some new small eggs in the nesting box soon!
I’ll post another update if anything changes. Thanks for all your info and input!

 

[5crazies]

Yes, that's one possibility. I have also seen some very manly hens that laid eggs. So time will tell. I don't believe it's a rooster, but it's always possible it has both sex organs, so it could technically be a hermaphrodite as well.

I hope it’s a hen that lays eggs rather than a hermaphrodite. There are 5 in our family and we go through eggs quickly. We have 7 chickens so I wasn’t planning on getting any chicks this spring.
Thank you once again for your help! I’ll post an update if anything changes. Hopefully we’ll see some new eggs soon.

 

[5crazies]

UPDATE:
It crowed this morning for the first time! several times.
And some recent pics. It still doesn’t fully look like a rooster.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

I beg to differ. That's a giant comb and wattles compared to any mature and laying Wyandotte hen.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

UPDATE:
It crowed this morning for the first time! several times.
And some recent pics. It still doesn’t fully look like a rooster.

Go Sprinkles!!

LOL He's a late bloomer for sure. I think he looks like a rooster now

 

[5crazies]

I beg to differ. That's a giant comb and wattles compared to any mature and laying Wyandotte hen.

I agree about the comb and wattles! They are much bigger than the hen’s and she is laying. His feathering doesn’t look much like a rooster though. No saddle feathers. He turned 1 last month.

 

[5crazies]

Go Sprinkles!!

LOL He's a late bloomer for sure. I think he looks like a rooster now

Super late! He turned 1 last month! He looks like a rooster except for the tail. And no saddle feathers.
I first heard the crowing when I left to take my son to the bus stop. He was the only bird out of the coop. When I came back 10 minutes later I went to the coop, all the chickens were out, there were black feathers all over, and his comb is all bloody with fresh blood. We have a very dominant, bullyish Black austrolorp. It seems like they got into a fight while I was gone. I wonder if she did that because he crowed?