Bone ID

[hotmessJess]

I didn't know where to post this particular question. I'm missing my rooster, for a month now. A week ago, I found A GHO had moved into the neighborhood. A few days after that, I found an obscene amount of hackle and down feathers, and a few sickle feather in the woods, in view of Duke's (yes, we named him) nest. I think it was too many feathers to be from another bird, because none of my other roos seem to be missing huge patches of feathers.

I sent my kids to search for owl pellets around his perch. I'm looking for the smoking gun, which is any evidence of a waistcoat my chicken was wearing when he disappeared. They didn't find owl pellets, but instead found an ilium,ischium, and pubis. I was wondering if you can tell gender of a bird with just this. Anyway to tell age? It was in an area where the neighbors once had chickens, too, so I'm unsure.

 

[Eggcessive]

Maybe someone who butchers a lot of chickens and roosters might be able to help you. I couldn't find any pictures of chest cavities online, just pictures of skeletons.

 

[hotmessJess]

That's the same problem I'm having. I can't seem to find any pictures or literature comparing male and female. It seems that if this isn't my chicken, though, that this owl is a repeat offender!