Can someone give me some insight....

Is Bootsie a pullet or cockerel?

  • Pullet

    Votes: 20 74.1%
  • Cockerel

    Votes: 6 22.2%
  • Neither, too young

    Votes: 1 3.7%

  • Total voters
    27
I don't know much about this breed, but isn't it Wyandottes that can have male (or female, I can't remember) specific feathering, but be the opposite gender?

Cockerel.

I believe you're talking about hen-feathering and thinking of Sebrights.
I agree with The Happster, you're probably thinking of Sebrights.

Most roosters have long, skinny, shiny feathers in their saddle area. (Right in front of the tail, and then the saddle feathers hang down on each side.)

Sebrights are "hen feathered"--the roosters have rounded feathers like hens.
Because the hens and the roosters both have hen-type feathers, Sebrights are a bit harder to sex than many other breeds :)

Sebrights and Wyandottes do look a bit similar: rose combs, often Silver Laced or Gold Laced. But Sebrights are bantams and hen-feathered, and Wyandottes are large fowl and not hen-feathered.
 
Maybe I am. I don't know about feathering.
Feathering is very essential in sexing chickens. I often use it more than looking at any other physical traits. Here is an article on hen-feathering and another few threads on sexing Easter Eggers which often relies looking at patterns because pea combs are tricky. Looking through those threads is incredibly helpful as you learn so much from other members :) https://poultry.extension.org/glossary/hen-feathered/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/sexing-easter-eggers.785749/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ing-tips-and-tricks-pictures-included.463817/
 
Feathering is very essential in sexing chickens. I often use it more than looking at any other physical traits. Here is an article on hen-feathering and another few threads on sexing Easter Eggers which often relies looking at patterns because pea combs are tricky. Looking through those threads is incredibly helpful as you learn so much from other members :) https://poultry.extension.org/glossary/hen-feathered/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/sexing-easter-eggers.785749/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ing-tips-and-tricks-pictures-included.463817/
Most roosters have long, skinny, shiny feathers in their saddle area. (Right in front of the tail, and then the saddle feathers hang down on each side.)
I know what hackles and saddles are! I just worded it horribly. Thank you both for helping though. I'll take a look at those articles @Rhodebar Lover. I meant that I don't know about male specific coloring and that sort. I DO know hackles and saddles and combs.
 
I know what hackles and saddles are! I just worded it horribly.
:) I probably would have explained anyway, because I know plenty of other people read threads and learn from them--and some of them might not yet know what saddle feathers are. I remember when I was first reading threads on here, and it seemed like everyone knew terms I was just learning :)
 
There is no breed in which females have male specific sex feathers. There are some extremely rare cases where a female has a cyst on her ovary, causing male feathers to grow, but that's typically late-on in her life. Sebrights are a breed in which males do not grow in male sex feathers and are instead "hen-feathered." In the case of Sebrights, comb size would likely be the best indicator. Whenever male sex feathers are spotted in any breed it is automatically a cockerel/rooster.
Mature Phoenix hens (as well as a few other long tailed breeds) of exceptionally good quality can also get pointed feathering. However, this happens much later than a cockerel getting in his pointed feathers.
 
As @CrazyCochin said, time will probably tell. I don't know much about this breed, but isn't it Wyandottes that can have male (or female, I can't remember) specific feathering, but be the opposite gender? Again, I don't know about breeds, I mainly help sex them.
Certain breeds and individuals can have a very hen-like coloring despite being cockerels, but by the time they are mature, it’s still obvious they are roosters. Roosters can have hen-specific colorations if they’re hen-feathered (campines, sebrights, and henny gamefowl are some breeds with that trait) as others have said.
I agree with The Happster, you're probably thinking of Sebrights.

Most roosters have long, skinny, shiny feathers in their saddle area. (Right in front of the tail, and then the saddle feathers hang down on each side.)

Sebrights are "hen feathered"--the roosters have rounded feathers like hens.
Because the hens and the roosters both have hen-type feathers, Sebrights are a bit harder to sex than many other breeds :)

Sebrights and Wyandottes do look a bit similar: rose combs, often Silver Laced or Gold Laced. But Sebrights are bantams and hen-feathered, and Wyandottes are large fowl and not hen-feathered.
From what I’ve seen on here and my experience with my own sebrights, they’re actually pretty easy to sex. The cockerels get large, red combs early on, while the pullets’ combs stay small and pale until they’re much older. My sebright hen didn’t start laying or get a red comb until she was almost a year old.
 
Certain breeds and individuals can have a very hen-like coloring despite being cockerels, but by the time they are mature, it’s still obvious they are roosters. Roosters can have hen-specific colorations if they’re hen-feathered (campines, sebrights, and henny gamefowl are some breeds with that trait) as others have said.
^^^^^^^^^^^
This is what I meant. The coloring. I just wasn't sure if it could be some breeds other than campines, sebrights, henny gamefowl, and some other gamefowl as you stated.
From what I’ve seen on here and my experience with my own sebrights, they’re actually pretty easy to sex. The cockerels get large, red combs early on, while the pullets’ combs stay small and pale until they’re much older. My sebright hen didn’t start laying or get a red comb until she was almost a year old.
I agree. The males seem to always get their combs early on, big and red, while most female I've seen basically don't have combs. (Which of course they do, they're just really small)
 
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By the way, I had a question, is this vulture hock?
EEA45004-66DA-4E3D-B59B-E593ADBC9249.jpeg
 

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