Cock of the walk or another hen?

[OnlyOneCannoli]

So...approximately two months ago I bought a dozen leghorn pullets from TSC. All look pretty much the same except this one. This pic was taken last week and now “he” has some longer “rooster gills” as I call them on the lower sides. All the other hens combs are more white/pink while this one is red and twice the size of the others. So I’m thinking either “she” is a bit older than the others or “he” got past the sexer and made it into the store. Thoughts?

 

[Mamatomany123]

That's a cockerel

 

[swamphiker]

Definitely a cockerel.

 

[HippieAtHeart]

It certainly appears to have a deeper red color than the other one behind it

 

[OnlyOneCannoli]

I’m cool with that. Ever since I noticed the differences I’ve been telling my daughters to love on that one a lot...make sure he likes/trusts them and won’t jump them! One cockerel for 11 hens is cool. Should help protect the girls to! He also has a little bit of shiny green coming into his back feathers and legs look to be bigger than the others too.

 

[Mamatomany123]

I’m cool with that. Ever since I noticed the differences I’ve been telling my daughters to love on that one a lot...make sure he likes/trusts them and won’t jump them! One cockerel for 11 hens is cool. Should help protect the girls to! He also has a little bit of shiny green coming into his back feathers and legs look to be bigger than the others too.

Cuddling a cockerel will make a mean rooster. Best not to cuddle him and show him to respect you instead.

 

[OnlyOneCannoli]

I’m going to go over how they should interact with him as he gets older soon. We’ve had chickens before...just not this breed or this many at one time.

 

[OnlyOneCannoli]

Here are some more recent pics. I just took them today. He’ll come up to me, eat out of my hand and lets me pet him.