Easter Egger? Hen or Roo?

[kheopsis]

i am having a problem figuring this one out... her name is LILLY, i thought it was a SHE, but then starting Monday it started crowing!!! what do you think?
we love her/him, and we just want to make sure what she is before we try to trade it for a Buff Orpington hen... and the funny thing is, we already have a Buff, and this easter egger abuses her, is that normal?

 

[EMaker]

Cockerel. Handsome dude, too.

 

[Lynndaybrown]

Lily is a boy.

 

[JodyJo]

rooster.....he will be gorgeous one day....

 

[teach1rusl]

He's probably not abusing her, he's probably attempting to mate with her (the buff). And if you find someone who'll trade hens for roosters, then send me their number please...lol

 

[kheopsis]

wow, so Lilly is a boy? oh man, my wife is about to start crying!
well thanks for the quick replies everyone. these two are our first chickens ever, so we are for sure gonna try to trade HIM for another buff. here are pics of him with Hot Wing(his sister).

 

[Lothiriel]

Oh my... He's one gorgeous chunk of EE cockerel....

I'd better not let Penelope see him...

 

[TriciaHowe]

Def. a boy. You will probably end up giving him away if you can't keep him.... Not many people out there willing to trade an EE roo for a BO pullet.

 

[kheopsis]

Quote:
well, he's been grabbing her by the neck with his beak since they were babies! but as far as trading, i just called the guy that i got him from, and am just gonna take it back and buy a grown buff from him... hehe you're right, Roos have such a bad rep, nobody wanted to take one for a hen

:'( we're gonna miss this dude, we've had him since June, he's family!

 

[teach1rusl]

Quote:
well, he's been grabbing her by the neck with his beak since they were babies! but as far as trading, i just called the guy that i got him from, and am just gonna take it back and buy a grown buff from him... hehe you're right, Roos have such a bad rep, nobody wanted to take one for a hen

:'( we're gonna miss this dude, we've had him since June, he's family!

Yeah, it's hard to give one up that's grown on you

And that's how young cockerels begin with mating, grabbing the neck feathers, because eventually they will learn to grab on to the head/neck feathers (to hang on/maintain balance) so they can jump on top of the hen's back. That behavior starts really early (around 8 weeks or younger)in some birds, later in others. And it's not so much that roosters have bad reputations (although some surely do); but that pullets are more valuable than roos. Pullets produce eggs and potentially chicks. For every ten or so hens/pullets, any chicken owner only needs one rooster (if they want chicks). It's sad, but a fact of life.