Gender?

[Ccdance75]

Hi all. This guy/girl started making some interesting noises this morning. A little crow and a little owl! She is 4 months old, comes from a pack of 2 others who seem to stick together. They all get along so far with my 6 older hens. The tail, which is hard to see in one of the pics (she won't stay still) looks like a rooster but the face looks like a hen. Any help will be appreciated. I've also heard

that hens can crow.... true? The picture of her sideways that shows her tail, there is a face in there thats not hers! That one is a hen. LOL

 

[PirateGirl]

Hens *can* sometimes crow, but you've got a cockerel.

 

[Ebony Rose]

That's a boy, all day long. See those long long feathers in the tail. Boy.

 

[featheredplanets]

Agreed, he’s a cockerel.

 

[imnukensc]

Obvious cockerel.

 

[Ccdance75]

Thanks, everyone. It wasn't so obvious to me as there's hardly any red in his face.
Now, what to do? I've never had one so my older girls will have no idea whats going on. Should I keep him? We had one a long time ago but gave him away because he was beating up on them and we really have no use for a roo!

 

[PirateGirl]

It just happens to be a breed without huge wattles. It's ok. I think we've all had a confusing one at some point! If you are permitted to keep him where you live, if it was me, I'd keep him as long as there are not behavior issues, understanding that if problems arise, he may need to go. 8 ladies with one cockerel isn't a bad ratio, but of course every cockerel/roo is different, so you still need to keep an eye on things.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Agreed, that's a cockerel. The rule of thumb is: Hens *can* crow, Pullets *NEVER* crow. This guy is very red in the face with a huge comb and his tail has streamers already!

 

[Ebony Rose]

I'm liking his attentive posture. You can expect some scuffling just as he's coming into sexual maturity, but your older hens ought to peck that right outta him, and teach him how to behave in less than a month after his hormones kick in. If he gets too aggressive with your younger pullets, you can put him in a dog crate in the coop for a week or so (a time out to let him get a grip on his hormones) and then reintroduce him. Trick is to keep him within sight of the flock so that he's not bullied when he returns. This should be a couple of months from now, or so... but judging from those tail feathers... it might come early.

 

[chrissynemetz]

He's a very handsome cockerel!