Help...My favorite girl might be a roo

[birdsforbrowns]

I am new to having chickens, and I have a hen whose tail feathers are a little longer and have some beautiful irridescence to them...She's an easter egger though so this may be normal. Her comb is a little more red and fleshy than the others as well...and then there's her beard (hahaha). They are about 11 weeks old. Any advice?

 

[cluckcluckluke]

I am so sorry but yes you are right....your EE is a rooster!
Note the saddle, sickle and hackles feathering.

 

[bugglesmommy]

I think your suspicions may be correct. I am thinking that's a Mr.

 

[TheCrazyClucker]

Yeah, you've got a sure fire cockerel there!
The hackles are long, the tail is long, and the EE has sickles. Rooster.

EDIT: Also the comb is to large for an eleven week old hen.

 

[birdsforbrowns]

Oh no. I was so looking forward to some colored eggs too....I have an aunt who wants a rooster, I guess I can give him to her if he begins to cause issues. Are there downsides, other than the lack of eggs and the morning wake up call, to having roosters? I only have 5 chickens because of space, and was mainly wanting the eggs and some sweet hens!

 

[TheCrazyClucker]

Well, the only drawbacks for a rooster are
It can be loud, depending on the breed. I have 3 EE roosters, and they aren't loud at all, and they don't crow much.
They can be mean, but EEs are very docile, even the roosters.

5 hens is enough for one roo, just as long as you don't have another roo.

 

[birdsforbrowns]

Well, the only drawbacks for a rooster are
It can be loud, depending on the breed. I have 3 EE roosters, and they aren't loud at all, and they don't crow much.
They can be mean, but EEs are very docile, even the roosters.

5 hens is enough for one roo, just as long as you don't have another roo.

Well, now its 4 hens and to one roo...Thank you TheCrazyClucker for the info about the EE roosters. Is there any space requirement difference? Our coop is 4 x 4 with a run that is 4 x 15. They always have access to the run (we live in GA, so unless its really cold, their door will be open). Gertie, who will now receive a more masculine moniker, seems to be pretty easy going, though its been obvious for a few weeks that she/he is the enforcer of the pecking order. We've been handling him since we got him at 1 week old, my 7 year old son loves him. I'm bummed (lack of easter egg and egg count in general) but kind of intrigued about our new adventure! I sure hope we can keep him!!!

Any chance if we incubate future eggs that we would get an EE hen? Just a curiousity...I am too afraid to introduce a new one to the flock at this point and we don't really have the space (I was pushing it with 5).

 

[TheCrazyClucker]

You don't need any special space requirements with a rooster. Same as if you were to have 5 hens.
A good roo will protect his hens and possibly give up his life when danger arises if one of his hens are in danger.
Yes, you would get EEs, and a quite colorful array of them too! You're guaranteed to have at least a couple hens in a hatch, but you would have to re-home the roosters if you don't have 8-10 hens for each, so they don't fight.

 

[birdsforbrowns]

Thank you so much for the information. We're mulling male names and this morning when I went out to say hello to the "girls", I caught myself as I said it! Looks like we'll have to get an incubator and hatch our own female EE's in the next couple years! And for now, 4 hens will be enough for my 1 rooster? I don't plan to have any other roosters....hoping he's quiet and docile. My son would be heartbroken if we had to find him a new home! Thank you again for all the help and consolation!!!

 

[TheCrazyClucker]

Yes, 4 hens would be enough. If you were to have multiple roosters I would suggest having 8-10 hens for each.