A few random questions

[hpitassi]

I have 8 hens (I hope). 4 of my girls are 14 weeks. The other 4 are 9 weeks. I am new at this, but have read a ton and I have a few questions for you all:
I have one barred rock who is one of the 14 week-olds. She (he?) is crowing. I purchased her from a hatchery and she was to be female. My issue is that most places I am looking have you comparing your hens to the possible rooster and I only have one of this breed. I have read that hens can crow... I am praying I have a crowing hen because I am not allowed to have a rooster!

2. my girls tend to sleep in a pile in the corner of the coop still, instead of on the roost. Is this normal, and will they eventually go the the roost? It is about a foot from the coop floor, if that, so I dont think it is too high or low...

 

[hpitassi]

the pic on the top was from about a month ago, the one on the bottom was at 12 weeks I think. these pics are of only the older ones.

 

[clickdb]

That BR is a cockerel, especially if that comb was there at 12 weeks. Pullets also tend to have a dark wash over their legs, and in that picture the legs are definitely bright.

As far as roosting goes, they'll figure it out when they are ready. If you want to encourage it, you can put them on the roost once they are sleeping, but it's not really necessary. Chances are they will just keep jumping down if they aren't ready. Chickens are stubborn, so be persistent if you must!

 

[thecrumbler]

Yes, especially in absence of a rooster, a hen can crow (I even had one who would mount other chickens). Look for a deeper red/larger comb and saddle feathers for a boy. It's a little hard to tell from the angle but that bottom chicken looks like a roo. Do you have anymore pics?

What kind of perch do you have for them? I used to try dowels, but my chickens hated them. Too round, too slippery. Chickens want a nice broad surface, not too wide for their feet, but they have to rest their breastbone on something. I have perches of different sizes, too, for "foot exercise" (much like a songbird would need). I use old tree branches and saw them down and wittle off smaller branches, or you could round off a small plank.

 

[JJSS89]

Rooster. Sorry for your trouble. Hope you can find a good home for him.

 

[hpitassi]

@ the crumbler I have a 1"x1" wood post for a roost so far, I may replace it with a 2x4 or a branch if that is what everyone else uses. we have a huge tree branch in the run and they sit and sleep on that during the day.

This chicken has black on its feet, someone on another site is telling me that on BR chickens only hens have black on their legs. Mine does as well. is there truth to this?

This is the best picture I can get of her/him. Her size is the same as the other girls her age, she did develop her comb earlier than the rest but I thought that might be just because of her being a different breed? She only makes what I would think are crowing sounds a few times a day. Someone else told me I would know if she was a rooster because she would crow all day, and that BR are traditionally loud birds... though I realize there are alot of opinions and really I may not know for a few weeks or more? gah. I hope I am just paranoid.

 

[thecrumbler]

Ah, maybe it's just not enough room for them. Barred rocks arent supposed to have black feet at all; I've heard the 'hens only' but haven't found anything that it's a gender specific trait.

See the rounded, tilted feathers on his back? Saddle feathers...and the crowing isn't a 100% giveaway, but it's pretty certain to say with all the other traits (redder comb, earlier development) that that is a guy. I've only had one hen crow, ever, after she was a year old and in the absence of a male, she took over that role...but I'm certain that's a roo, sorry he is very beautiful. Maybe he can be rehomed?

 

[hpitassi]

thank you all for your help. Little guy is a roo for sure, and will have to meet his maker tonight and the soup pot soon. As for the perches I saw the babies roosting the other night on what I have in there, but I will use your suggestions for wider boards.

 

[Carly08]

yep its definitely a roo