Hen or Roo?

[Phaefner]

So we thought we had 16 laying hens (because that’s what we bought) but we are starting to think one of them is actually a rooster. She’s always looked “different”. I always told Hailey I thought there was something wrong with her. She walks different, her stance is different, her tail has always looked funny and her demeanor is different. Her feathers by her tail are pointed, where her sisters is round. She is the only one we cannot tame and she is always off by herself. She came with the last batch we got in September/October so she is just reaching maturity.

What clues did he/she give to make us question her? A nice crow and she was seen mounting another hen. Do they sometimes get sexually confused ‍

What do you think? Hen or Roo?

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Cockerel. Has the wing bars and the male distinctive saddle feathers.

Hen and Rooster are terms that apply when they are a year old. Pullet and Cockerel are the terms that are used until that time.

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Definitely a cockerel. Very handsome fella!

 

[crazy4ChickensNducks]

a very nice BLRW cockerel

 

[Cadence A Waller]

Agreed definitely a cockerel.

 

[Phaefner]

Thanks! I’m so excited! We were trying to figure out how to get just ONE Roo and here we had him all along

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Since you said you can't tame him... I suggest caution with regards to how you treat him. You don't want to raise a human aggressive cockerel. I suggest reading up on raising cockerels, and do so asap!

 

[Maya Vance]

That's either a pullet or a cockerel. Does it have spurs?

 

[Maya Vance]

Hens have curved hackle feathers, roosters have pointy.

 

[Brahmachicken240]

As said above, you have a Cockerel.
He has visable male saddle and hackle feathers.

E.g of male saddle feathers.

Pullet saddle feathers:

As you can see the pullets saddle feathers are rounded.