Hen or rooster?

[2 many chickens]

Both look like hens to me.

 

[2 many chickens]

My avatar is my roo. With roos they have saddle feathers and such.. like their feathers near the tail flow down and look pointy. Hens are rounded. Also roos neck feathers are pointy.

 

[Mlw2294]

Thank you for the info!

 

[2 many chickens]

Thank you for the info!

you're welcome

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Two funny little mixed breed pullets.

I don't see any sickle feathers around the lower neck, nor any saddle feathers at the rear, no spur nubs either.

Pullets can have some funny looking feathers, and even some ticking at the ends of feathers making them look a bit long and even pointy. But the feathers should be mostly rounded at the ends. Tail straight up, if healthy and happy. After the first molt, the feathers will come in nicely rounded. Some breeds just have longish saddle feathers, but still rounded at ends.

Here is my hen Inky, at 7.5 weeks.

Here is Inky at 1.5 years old.

You should be hearing some crowing any day now, if it is a cockerel, and is displaying dominance behaviors.

Some hens are dominant right from the start. They will boss the other pullets, and even dance with a wing down to herd them. My alpha hen is one such hen, she still dances like a rooster with one wing down, to show her dominance to the other hens. And, yes I have a big'ol rooster too. He lets the alpha hen know when she's getting too pushy. LOL!

These are my observations, I hope they were helpful, and correct.

God Bless

 

[Mlw2294]

Very helpful! Thanks so much!

 

[Frazzemrat1]

here's what your looking for with the saddle feathers.

 

[mrsdee]

How old are these birds? Are they both the same age? First one (looks like cuckoo marans mix) looks to be a cockerel. His sickle feathers look to be coming in all over the back of his neck. And second one looks like pullet. Enjoy!

 

[backyardflock1]

Both look like females to me. Hens higher up in the pecking order sometimes may act somewhat similarly to roosters. Hope it works out for you and they end up being the genders you want!

 

[Mlw2294]

How old are these birds? Are they both the same age? First one (looks like cuckoo marans mix) looks to be a cockerel. His sickle feathers look to be coming in all over the back of his neck. And second one looks like pullet. Enjoy!

Thanks so much! I think you are right although i was hoping it was a pullet