Hen or Roo?

[mjljohana]

A little stuck and hoping to clarify… Hen or Roo on this EE?

 

[nuthatched]

A cockerel. You'll want to treat him so he knows you're the boss from now on.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Welcome to BYC!

That's a cockerel. It's hard to make out in that photo but I'm fairly certain I see pointy saddle feather coming in.

Just for reference for other guesser's.. what is his age and how long has his comb been red like that?

 

[mjljohana]

Welcome to BYC!

That's a cockerel. It's hard to make out in that photo but I'm fairly certain I see pointy saddle feather coming in.

Just for reference for other guesser's.. what is his age and how long has his comb been red like that?

A couple of months. And the tail feather?

 

[mjljohana]

A cockerel. You'll want to treat him so he knows you're the boss from now on.

Thank you

 

[EggSighted4Life]

A couple of months. And the tail feather?

Sickle feather isn't the easiest tail tell to me since it can be plucked, missing, or damaged. But yes his sickle feather looks nicely curved and long as well as being held very upright..

Google pics for saddle reference..

Feathers often start showing pointy development around 10 -12 weeks old and may be more flowing like the second example around 16+ weeks of age.

When a pullet develops the redness of her comb she is about a month out from onset of laying.. with exception to slight genetic differences some may still be slower but generally speaking the reddening in the comb is when hormones start surging.. and in chickens it's always the cockerels who develop earliest, sometimes showing the red wattles as early as about 5-6 weeks.. usually plump and red by 12 weeks. Pullets may flush red from heat but they won't red up that early ever in my experience.

I don't play the rooster dominance game or consider myself part of the pecking order (which is challenged often and very dynamic). But admit that in the beginning over friendliness with SOME cockerels has caused trouble for me. All are individuals.

 

[Sammi_0411]

As others said its a cockerel x

 

[mjljohana]

Very helpful. Thanks ya’ll!