Early Cockerel Behavior?

[KikiDeAnime]

So we got a 6 wk old Buff Orpington who we still haven't figured out it's gender but its acting way different than the others.

He/She:
-Keeps attacking me whenever I reach into the brooder to change the water/food container.
-pecks the others as if doing the pecking order.
-stands near one and acts like it's protecting her or keeping watch.
-More hyper than the others.
-Likes to fly out of the brooder whenever I open it up to do what I need.

Is it possible that it may be showing cockerel behavior and I'm just not realizing?

Our past roosters didn't really show behavior, just had the looks of a rooster and eventually crowed.

In case you want to check out my post about the buff orpington and help me figure out the gender:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/cockerel-right-picture-comparison.1279483/
The chicks are 6 weeks and will be 7 weeks old on Saturday.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Yes your chick is a boy. Sounds like a bad one too if it's attacking your hand. You will need to make it unpleasant for it to come forward in any way that works. It shouldn't come forward nor bite you. I personally would pick it up each time, and perhaps flip it on it's stomach, examine it's wings, for a bit and generally manhandled it so it doesn't like it. I've had a few young roosters that were hyped up, mine settled a bit but still were pains that eventually went in the freezer.

 

[proudmommie31]

My buff Orpington boy did all that too. He settled right down after I knocked him back and few times and they graduated out to the big coop. He’s ginormous now and doesn’t have any aggressive behaviors toward people thus far (6 months old). For us it was super clear when we compared just our buff Orpington chicks to each other. The girls feathered out much faster, the boy was slow to feather and had the larger comb. I’d try examining him against just other B.O. of the same age. Any differences should stick right out.

 

[KikiDeAnime]

Yes your chick is a boy. Sounds like a bad one too if it's attacking your hand. You will need to make it unpleasant for it to come forward in any way that works. It shouldn't come forward nor bite you. I personally would pick it up each time, and perhaps flip it on it's stomach, examine it's wings, for a bit and generally manhandled it so it doesn't like it. I've had a few young roosters that were hyped up, mine settled a bit but still were pains that eventually went in the freezer.

I always pick him up whenever I visit them, sometimes I even forget about why I went to see them. It's sad that he's a cockerel. My mother said that if he ended up being a boy, that we'd have to get rid of him as she doesn't like Buff Orpington roosters.

 

[KikiDeAnime]

My buff Orpington boy did all that too. He settled right down after I knocked him back and few times and they graduated out to the big coop. He’s ginormous now and doesn’t have any aggressive behaviors toward people thus far (6 months old). For us it was super clear when we compared just our buff Orpington chicks to each other. The girls feathered out much faster, the boy was slow to feather and had the larger comb. I’d try examining him against just other B.O. of the same age. Any differences should stick right out.

I posted a link to my other post if you want to see the differences between the two B.O chicks.

 

[proudmommie31]

I’m with those that said it’s most likely a boy, if you do post more pics of them try getting them standing together if possible (not that they always cooperate lol)

 

[KikiDeAnime]

He's the bigger one on the right in all the photos.
And excuse the food mess. "Someone" decided to knock the bowl over and spill the food.

 

[proudmommie31]

He’s a he lol but I mean if you happen to also use your chickens for meat, he will probably be a really good size by 24 wks (mine is lol)

 

[KikiDeAnime]

He’s a he lol but I mean if you happen to also use your chickens for meat, he will probably be a really good size by 24 wks (mine is lol)

We don't kill our roosters. We give them away or sell them to people who will actually let them live.
I plan on selling him once he's bigger.