Aggressive Crowing Hen

[Evanowski]

This is Phyllis. She's a 16-week old Cuckoo Marans. She was one of three CM that hatched. The other two were definitely boys. I gave the two CM roos away to a friend. They started crowing around 10 weeks of age. Phyllis was dark and never had much of the Cuckoo barring, and was very quiet.

Now Phyllis clucks aggressively quite a bit. And every morning she crows at least a half dozen times! She's not laying age yet, but I was convinced she was a girl. Now I have no clue!

I have 4 other roosters in my small flock (who are looking for a good home). 2 Blue Ameraucanas and 2 Barnevelders. All 4 of them crow as well. In fact the 2 Blues crow ALL THE TIME! They are good boys, friendly, don't pick on the girls...

But Phyllis has them all whooped. Just the past couple of days I've noticed one of the Blue boys standing up to her.

Phyllis is also quite aggressive with some of the "weaker" hens. She's even flared up to me a time or two. (To which my response is a quick tight hug.)

Soooo.... all things considered.... is Phyllis a girl or should I rename her Phil?

See pics.


Pic below is the 2 roos that were starting to crow at 10 weeks.


Not a great picture, but this is Phyllis at around 8-10 weeks of age.


This is Phyllis yesterday (16 weeks of age)

 

[bauerdog]

i think you have a Phil. i see saddle feathers....

 

[Kev]

Yeah Phil.. next time you hug him, pick up his neck and saddle feathers and note how long, skinny and pointy tipped they are.. and how the barring is also different from on the hens.

Is it possible blue was involved in the breeding? Blue can really mess with the barring so they look less barred like a pullet. Or he was a cross between cuckoo and not cuckoo, that will give boys with 'less' barring.

 

[K Spot]

Phyllis is a roo

 

[chickita12]

Ya,It´s a Phil ! Sorry!

 

[Evanowski]

Ok... Guess its Phil then..... bummer. Was really hoping for a Cuckoo hen. I have another question: Why does Phil not look like his brothers (supposedly from the same pen)? Its almost like a double barring or whatever its called. He just looks completely different....

Thoughts on that??

Thanks everyone for helping!

 

[donrae]

Ok... Guess its Phil then..... bummer. Was really hoping for a Cuckoo hen. I have another question: Why does Phil not look like his brothers (supposedly from the same pen)? Its almost like a double barring or whatever its called. He just looks completely different....

Thoughts on that??

Thanks everyone for helping!

Kev gave you some good possibilities for that above.