Did I get a rooster instead of a pullet I ordered? How to tell early...

[Henpecked Dad]

I bought 4 cream Legbars but at 18 weeks, one of them has a much larger comb and a different kind of voice.
Is it possible I got a rooster and if so, can I return it?!!
Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[fluffycrow]

They're all pullets, pretty ones at that. One might just be maturing more quickly than the rest

 

[Gavinthechickenman]

Yeah that’s a rooster

 

[Gavinthechickenman]

If it does end up a rooster I don’t think you can return it but certain hatchery’s will send you another one

 

[NatJ]

I bought 4 cream Legbars but at 18 weeks, one of them has a much larger comb and a different kind of voice.

At 18 weeks, they are getting close to laying eggs. So the combs on pullets start to grow quickly, up to the size and color they will be as mature hens.

Is it possible I got a rooster and if so, can I return it?!!

In this case, I am pretty sure yours are all females, so no need to worry about returning.

In general, if you bought from a hatchery or a store, you cannot return a rooster. Some places will refund part or all of the money you paid to get him in the first place (but not the money you spent on feed to raise him), and some will not even do that. It's your problem what to do with the rooster (keep him, butcher him, sell him, give him away, have a vet euthanize him, etc.)

If you bought from a farm or an individual person, it will depend on what they say. Some of them do allow returns in case of sexing errors, but many do not.

But again, I think yours are all females, so your decision will be easy: just keep her and see whan the eggs start coming!

 

[HollowOfWisps]

They can start laying at 5 months so I think you just have a pullet getting ready to lay in the next couple of weeks.

 

[NatJ]

Yeah that’s a rooster

Based on what?

The age is right for a pullet to start laying soon.

The comb size and wattle size are right for a mature Cream Legbar female.

The coloring is right for a Cream Legbar female but wrong for a male (that salmon-colored breast is a female-only trait in Cream Legbars and almost all other chickens as well.)

The bird does not have male saddle feathers (pointy tips, long and narrow, hanging down on each side of the tail.) It does have female saddle feathers (same size & shape as the feathers on most of the rest of her body.)

 

[Gavinthechickenman]

I was just judging off of the crown there wasn’t any good pictures of saddle feathers

 

[Henpecked Dad]

At 18 weeks, they are getting close to laying eggs. So the combs on pullets start to grow quickly, up to the size and color they will be as mature hens.


In this case, I am pretty sure yours are all females, so no need to worry about returning.

In general, if you bought from a hatchery or a store, you cannot return a rooster. Some places will refund part or all of the money you paid to get him in the first place (but not the money you spent on feed to raise him), and some will not even do that. It's your problem what to do with the rooster (keep him, butcher him, sell him, give him away, have a vet euthanize him, etc.)

If you bought from a farm or an individual person, it will depend on what they say. Some of them do allow returns in case of sexing errors, but many do not.

But again, I think yours are all females, so your decision will be easy: just keep her and see whan the eggs start coming!

But why is his/her comb so big?

 

[Henpecked Dad]

I'll get another pic ..standby...