Confused teenage roo?

[m00res]

Hello! We adopted a duck, a barred rock and an ameracauna/ee a couple of weeks ago. The EE is supposed to be a hen, but I really think it is a rooster.

She/he may be confused as well.

1) She keeps hanging out in the nesting box all alone when the rest are ranging in the yard.

2) She just started clucking like a hen. I swear it didn't sound like a crow. I thought she was laying an egg.

3) However...she keeps "mateing" my duck, but she doen't try to mate our BR.

This may be a silly question, but do chickens ever try to show dominace to other breeds by pretend mating? Is she probably a rooster?

 

[LilBizzy]

We used to have ducks and chickens together, and the duck loved to try to mate with the chickens. I never saw the rooster try to mate with the female duck, though.

I had a rooster that I thought for the longest time ( till I actually saw him crow) that he was an overgrown hen. I never saw him try to mate any of the girls. But, I haven't ever seen or heard of a hen who tried to mate. So I would guess she is a rooster, just from that behaviour. Maybe he's trying to make the BR jealous.
I have seen here people who say their roosters will make up the nestbox for the girls, and then watch over the girls as they lay.
The truth will come out soon though. Either she will lay an egg, or he will crow. If you are able to post a picture, I'm sure those with more experience might be able to identify.

 

[Omran]

Usually you can tell from other behaviors like if the bird is trying to make a lot of noses when finding food(rooster) when he scratch the hell out of the feed(rooster).
I think i will be great if you can post a photo of your bird, I am sure some of the members are expert andthey will b able to help you better tan me.
Omran

 

[m00res]

Why did the chicken cross the road? To avoid having his picture taken!! Every picture I get of him is a white blur. He's so fast! I'll keep trying, but he may be crowing by the time I get a decent picture.

Thanks for the information on behavior. He/she actually doesn't scratch a lot and is overall very quiet. Maybe she is a hen. Apparently my neighbor came over and found the duck "with" the chicken. I think these two have actually fallen in love! They nap together beak to beak and follow eachother around all day. Silly birds!

I must say that this romantic saga has actually added to the fun and charm of chicken ownership. What a joy they are!

 

[rebecca10782]

LOL Aww poor thing

 

[Attack Chicken]

To bad the female duck wouldn't get fertile! You could have a chuck!or a ducken!

!!!!!!!! My roo acts like he wants to be a hen. He goes in the nest box and clucks like a hen laying an egg!!!!

To funny to watch!!!

 

[m00res]

I have a couple of pictures finally. Yeayyy! You can't really see the tail very well, but this is the best I could do. (Believe me I tried!)

Still no eggs or crowing, but he/she puffed up her neck feathers in quite a display the other day. That seemed like it would be rooster behavior, but he/she also nests in the nesting box.

If it is a boy, none of the hens are taking him seriously as he is regularly pecked away from food and basically anything of interest to my humble flock. Can anyone tell if this is a rooster or a hen? Thanks!

 

[MaransGuy]

100% Rooster

 

[Attack Chicken]

My roo seems to have gender problems lol He acts like he wants to lay an egg. It's like his comfort zone.

 

[m00res]

Darn! I was in denial. I really wanted blue eggs. Thanks everyone for your input. We're new to this and appreciate the insight.