contradicting thoughts

[foghorn86]

I have heard that some hens can crow, have spurs, have red comb and wattles, and hop ontop of other hens(similar to the look of mating)... Now is there any way to tell for 100% sure if you have a cock or hen just by Physical characteristics?
Will hens sometimes have the long skinny saddle feathers? or long skinny neck feathers?

 

[Pele]

I have heard that some hens can crow, have spurs, have red comb and wattles, and hop ontop of other hens(similar to the look of mating)... Now is there any way to tell for 100% sure if you have a cock or hen just by Physical characteristics?
Will hens sometimes have the long skinny saddle feathers? or long skinny neck feathers?

You've narrowed in on the one roo characteristic that hens CAN'T have. They cannot grow saddle and hackle feathers, nor have rooster coloration.

Also, with the crowing, it's usually much less impressive than what a roo can belt out.

 

[Smoochie]

I would agree mostly but my Sebright hen (yes I have seen her lay an egg every second day for a year) can crow better than most of my roosters. She only does it when she is stressed.. Every 30 seconds.

Saddle feathers and hackle feathers are a for sure unless the breed has roosters with hen feathering.. (Like a Sebright..lol My argument is not very convincing...!!!)

 

[Pele]

I would agree mostly but my Sebright hen (yes I have seen her lay an egg every second day for a year) can crow better than most of my roosters. She only does it when she is stressed.. Every 30 seconds.

Saddle feathers and hackle feathers are a for sure unless the breed has roosters with hen feathering.. (Like a Sebright..lol My argument is not very convincing...!!!)

lol I wasn't even going to touch Sebrights. But yes, hen-feathered breeds can make gender ID even more complicated. Thankfully they are an exception to a pretty useful rule for other breeds.

 

[Smoochie]

lol I wasn't even going to touch Sebrights.  But yes, hen-feathered breeds can make gender ID even more complicated.  Thankfully they are an exception to a pretty useful rule for other breeds.

I know! Generally all crowers are roosters... But all egg layers are definitely girls. I actually crated my Sebright after she crowed by herself to be 100% positive that those cute white skinny eggs were hers.

 

[Smoochie]

Also some colourings can be fooling if a contrasting color comes to a point. The best way to check if the feather is indeed round is behind a piece of paper.

 

[hdowden]

all chickens have saddle and hackle feathers but they look completely different on hens and cocks. hens will never have the long slender pointed saddles and hackles of a cock though.

yes hens can have spurs
yes hens can crow
hens that are at pol or are laying have red combs and wattles
yes hens can and may hop on other hens

now with hen feathered breeds such as sebrights the way to tell a cock from a hen is by the size of the comb and wattles

 

[donrae]

I agree with the hens having masculine traits, but keep in mind it's almost always OLDER hens. If you have a four, five, six month old bird growing spurs and crowing, it's pretty much a rooster.