Dumped Roo identification... (Updated with photos!)

[SunAngel]

Looks like a hen to me too. Very pretty!

You might have to go back and see if you can catch a roo if they are still there.

 

[pixie74943]

He's a perty one.

Is it too late to quarantine him..?

 

[Southernbelle]

That looks like a hen to me, too. Has a gamebird look to her, maybe crossed with bramha or cochin to get the heavier body and feathered legs.

Please quarantine her!

 

[ve]

It is hen

 

[Cuban Longtails]

That's a hen, likely a brahma cross of some sort.

 

[cointoss]

If it's a hen, why does she have spurs? You can see the spur on the leg in the top photo -- it's almost a half inch long. Do OEG hens normally have spurs?

The other birds were not following it -- they were following the biggest (by about 4 inches) rooster. He was a real beauty. Full grown, gorqeous tail plummage. Totally unfriendly though.

I did go back a few times today to see if I could find any more birds

None in sight, which is too bad, I would have liked to rescue some more... It's a nice, large nature preserve that they were set free on, lots of natural year-round springs and caves to hide in at night if they figure it out. I did see a few other cars there when I was there, so maybe some other hikers found them. Myself, I'm pregnant and have been prescribed "rest" (grrrr. at least it's not bed rest!) so I couldn't tramp around too much.

Quarantining would be nice, but the only option would be to keep it in that tiny crate 24/7, and even after quarantining for a few weeks, it could still be a carrier for something, despite the fact that its poops look great (they do!). There just are no quarantees. We have a small but hardy flock, and I always give my birds healing herbs (I'm an herbalist) so I'm not going to worry too much about it. What will be, will be.

 

[ve]

No only OEG have spurs.Hens fromother breeds have too

 

[fancyfowl4ever]

Spurs are no indication of gender, both hens and roos can have them.

One sure sign that you have a roo are the saddle feather(back to base of tail), if those are long shiny and pointy you got a roo, if short and rounded and not shiny you have a hen.

Also the bird in question looks like she is surely over a year old, maybe even 2.

 

[vfem]

First yeah a hen can have spurs... its a hormone thing.... and some roos don't!

I think it has a hen stance, but as its so young.... it will probably end up being a roo, if it doesn't show signs of laying in the next few weeks with wattles that red.


Lastly, I hope she didn't get rid of the chickens because they were diseased and she didn't want to 'off' them herself!!! Quarintine the bird!!!! If you have to keep it in the kennel and only let it out when the others are up... so be it! Don't put your other birds at risk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go read Purple Chickens rant in diseases.... he had to kill his whole flock because of one sick unquarintined bird. Its JUST NOT WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!

 

[cointoss]

Quote:
That's great if she's a she -- I've never had a banty before, so didn't know they could have spurs. None of my hens have any spurs, just tiny nubs.

As I said in my first post, the chicken is being kept physically seperate from the others at all times. It's in the kennel at night when the girls come in, and then when I let them out to free range outdoors, then I let it out to roam around the enclosed run. I don't consider that a real quarantine, though...

Thanks for all the advice, everyone!