Breed and gender?

[alinas2010]

Agree with what JedJackson said about the one with gold feathering; a sex link. One of ours looked like her, she had a much more pronounced comb and wattles than our others and also grew a little quicker, it made me nervous she was a rooster. Someone also told me she was a Rhode Island Blue, not sure which is right.

 

[Leatherworker]

Also, since you're a new chicken owner, here is a list of terms:

Rooster/Cock: Adult male chicken that is one year of age or older.
Hen: Adult female chicken that is one year of age or older.
Cockerel: Immature male chicken that is less than one year of age.
Pullet: Immature female chicken that is less than one year of age.
Capon: A male chicken, either a cockerel or a rooster, who has been neutered.
Sire: A male chicken, either a cockerel or a rooster, who is currently fathering chicks.
Dam: A female chicken, either a pullet or a hen, who is currently mothering chicks.
Stag: Immature male chicken that is of a gamefowl breed (which are breeds that were created for cockfighting); the equivalent of cockerel.
Bullstag: Adult male chicken that is of a gamefowl breed; the equivalent of rooster and cock.

You can neuter your rooster???? I had no idea.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

You can neuter your rooster???? I had no idea.

Yes, you can! They are pretty scarce, but there are people you can find that will neuter your cockerel/rooster. If you neuter is a rooster at a young age then he will grow two times larger than the average for his breed and be friendlier because he doesn't have all of those hormones raging. It is useful for when you are raising your own chickens for meat.

 

[Leatherworker]

Yes, you can! They are pretty scarce, but there are people you can find that will neuter your cockerel/rooster. If you neuter is a rooster at a young age then he will grow two times larger than the average for his breed and be friendlier because he doesn't have all of those hormones raging. It is useful for when you are raising your own chickens for meat.

That is....well I have no words, didn't know that.

 

[JedJackson]

It's called caponization. Capons are male chickens whose testes were removed, and it resulted in birds of a much larger size and with more tender flesh since castrated cockerels tend to lay on more fat. It was once a fairly common practice, but no more, because it requires an expert to do it. Cockerels' testes are located inside the body, and it requires precise surgery to get to them, and to remove them without hitting a vital organ or artery and thus killing the bird. Capons are still available from specialty stores/restaurants at high prices. It's really not a practical solution for the average backyard flock owner that wants a calmer, infertile rooster.