I have a Salmon Favorelle (spelling?) that we just brought home a few days ago. She is 2 years old and is used to being with roosters (which I don't have at the moment). We figured out real quick that Sammy is "special", but this morning we woke up to the strangest sound ever... It was a mix of a baby crying, something being eaten, and a rooster crow! I actually ran out to the shed to make sure my 2 babies were alright! Then I figured out that Sammy was in the coop doing her best rooster impression. Is she doing this because she's used to having the roosters around, and will she start laying at all? Is there anything I can do to get her back on track again? She is a she, but I have also attached a couple pics below just in case I'm going nuts (she's a little unkempt right now, but is in good health - just need to regrow some facial feathers) Any info you can give me would be greatly appreciated!
This actually happens quite a bit, its not common but certainly not rare. In all female flocks one hen sometimes will take on a male role and start to develop rooster behavior and even looks sometimes. It can happen to a healthy female who injures her ovary, when this happens male hormones become dominate and she will develop a larger comb and look more rooster-like sometimes developing male plumage. it can also happen more spontaneously in the absence of a rooster. Its all hormonal so theoretically she could change back but I'm not sure. http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/BRKChange.html
My big black sexie just started this. She has always had a large comb but has always laid pretty eggs. Yesterday she started crowing. Has been doing the nasty with my other hens for about the last month.
this is very commen.. if you get a rooster it will solve your problem.. in all female flocks one of the hens will act as the male.. - she will even stop laying eggs.. in egg laying farms and things alot of people will cull the suspected hen, to no avail.. when the next hen in the right order, of the pecking order will take her place most usually.
Something I remember from biology in college. In hens the ovary is surrounded by a thin layer of testicular tissue. If the ovarian tissue is destroyed then the hen is left with primarily male hormone. Sinse sexual characteristics, in chickens, is determined by relative levels of "female" vs "male" hormone she will in effect become he. Don't remember all the possible causes but seem to remember that avian tuberculosis can do this. Take all this with a large grain of salt since for me college was around 30 years ago!
