Can someone tell me if this is a rooster or a hen!

[nkimay]

First time chicken owner. We have 3 supposedly red sexlink hens. I'm concerned one may be a rooster. It's bigger than the other two, it's legs are different, and it has a large red crest on its head. The other two have small light colored crests. This one also is much louder than the other two. They are 11 weeks old now.

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

That is an EE cockerel.

 

[Chicken Girl1]

That is an EE cockerel.

agreed

 

[nkimay]

Thank you all! I figured it was some kind of boy!!

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

Thank you all! I figured it was some kind of boy!!

No problem! He's very pretty. Will you keep him?

 

[nkimay]

We were just talking about that. We don't know what to do! My kids have named him(Sandy- name could go either way), and we don't really want to get rid of him, but don't know if it will get aggressive with the others? We don't have the things needed to hatch eggs nor do we want to! Will he be fine in the coop with all hens? We definitely aren't going to eat him!! I love chicken, but not ones I've named and played with since 2 days old!!

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

We were just talking about that. We don't know what to do! My kids have named him(Sandy- name could go either way), and we don't really want to get rid of him, but don't know if it will get aggressive with the others? We don't have the things needed to hatch eggs nor do we want to! Will he be fine in the coop with all hens? We definitely aren't going to eat him!! I love chicken, but not ones I've named and played with since 2 days old!!

How many hens do you have? If you have a rooster you don't need to hatch eggs, you just can if you want. If a hen goes broody and you want to hatch eggs you could, or you can use an incubator. He would definitely be fine in a coop with all hens. That is a rooster's dream come true! It is possible he will turn aggressive, but more likely he won't. I have never had problems with roosters. If he does, you can give him away or sell him to somebody who wants a rooster.