Help! Important questions regarding our Cream Legbars!!

[paigesch100]

Hi there! I'm reaching out to you b/c I'm not sure where else to turn for answers. Our family has 3 Cream Legbar hens. They are about 3 1/2 months old. We are fairly certain they are all hens, but two of them crow just like a rooster. I have heard of this happening if there are no other roosters. Also, what is really troubling me is one of the hens got pretty beat up by one of the others this AM. They were free-ranging this AM in our large yard, and one of them the hens was being chased/harassed by another hen (unless it's a rooster). She has peck marks all around her face, so we separated her and brought her into our mudroom to relax. She slept and seemed wiped out for hours. She is just now starting to come around again. Why in the world would this suddenly happen when they were raised together?? I've heard about the "pecking order", etc., but I'm scared to put them together again. I am really hoping you have some suggestions. MANY thanks in advance for your help. Here are two of them the other day.

 

[Poultry parent]

that is a roo

 

[BuffOrpington88]

Hi and welcome to BYC! Those tailfeathers definitely look like a rooster. One thing that you can do is separate the bully from the rest of the flock for a few days. In many cases, this can put them at the bottom of the totem pole again and that could stop the problem. Thanks for joining us, and if you have any more questions, always feel free to ask. Good luck!

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC- I agree with the above posts.

Best wishes
Ct

 

[Urban Flock]

Hi and welcome to BYC! Those tailfeathers definitely look like a rooster. One thing that you can do is separate the bully from the rest of the flock for a few days. In many cases, this can put them at the bottom of the totem pole again and that could stop the problem. Thanks for joining us, and if you have any more questions, always feel free to ask. Good luck!

x2
Looks like a Roo to me as well.

 

[drumstick diva]

That's a roo - please do not put them together again. This was a major wake up call. I don't think she would survive another attack.

 

[sumi]

Welcome to BYC

The chicken closest to you in the pic is a rooster. And if he is this aggressive to the other hen, I think it would be better to remove him from the flock. I hope your hen feels better now!

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[dekel18042]

Hi there! I'm reaching out to you b/c I'm not sure where else to turn for answers. Our family has 3 Cream Legbar hens. They are about 3 1/2 months old. We are fairly certain they are all hens, but two of them crow just like a rooster. I have heard of this happening if there are no other roosters. Also, what is really troubling me is one of the hens got pretty beat up by one of the others this AM. They were free-ranging this AM in our large yard, and one of them the hens was being chased/harassed by another hen (unless it's a rooster). She has peck marks all around her face, so we separated her and brought her into our mudroom to relax. She slept and seemed wiped out for hours. She is just now starting to come around again. Why in the world would this suddenly happen when they were raised together?? I've heard about the "pecking order", etc., but I'm scared to put them together again. I am really hoping you have some suggestions. MANY thanks in advance for your help. Here are two of them the other day.

Welcome to BYC! What everyone has said about the one in front being a rooster is correct. You wondered why you had problems when your three were raised together, and that is the problem. When young ones are raised with only others their age, they have their own pecking order. If there are cockerels in the mix or only one cockerel they tend to mature earlier, be at the top of the pecking order and when their hormones kick in they can be terrible. Having adult hens or mature roosters can help keep them in their place, but with only a few the same age you don't have that. You also don't need a rooster for just two hens.
So the information to keep him separate is correct or otherwise figure out how not to keep him.
If you were able to get more hens for him that could be an option, but I wouldn't want more very young ones he could reinforce his bully behaviors on.

 

[paigesch100]

Thank you all SO very much for your helpful replies! It is greatly appreciated!! Okay, so what about these other two chickens?? Do you think they are roos, as well? They don't have the same markings as the rooster, however, they crow like roosters. Is this normal??? I heard if they are hens, that this means they are masculine and will most likely not lay eggs. This is so sad, as we have all gotten attached to our chickens. Here is the picture of the one that was bullied.