Hen or Rooster?

[NaomiOldMac]

This golden laced wyandotte is about 2 months old. Can you please help me and tell me if you think it is a hen or a rooster?

 

[Angileen]

Looks like a hen to me, also looks like she is being bred by a Rooster with the missing feathers on her back.

 

[featheredplanets]

I think he’s a cockerel.

 

[NaomiOldMac]

Looks like a hen to me, also looks like she is being bred by a Rooster with the missing feathers on her back.

Thanks for your response. What do you mean about "being bred by a Rooster" sorry? The missing feathers are a bit of a mystery. Where we bought it from said she had been pecked on but it looks like the feathers weren't there to start with or been very thoroughly plucked. I wondered if they just hadn't grown yet. She looks naked and ready for the oven! Not the usual pecking of odd feathers by other chickens. Quite odd.

 

[Angileen]

Thanks for your response. What do you mean about "being bred by a Rooster" sorry? The missing feathers are a bit of a mystery. Where we bought it from said she had been pecked on but it looks like the feathers weren't there to start with or been very thoroughly plucked. I wondered if they just hadn't grown yet. She looks naked and ready for the oven! Not the usual pecking of odd feathers by other chickens. Quite odd.

when a Rooster breeds a hen he grabs her by the back of the neck and jumps on her back. His talons scratch her back and she can lose feathers. Roosters usually have their favorite hens so some hens get more tattered than others. I have a few hens that look like that from my Roosters. I ordered some hen saddle's for them. Haven't gotten them yet. They protect the hens back. Feathers can take a while to grow back. And feather growth requires more protein, you could feed her extra dried meal worms or get a higher protein feed for her, you would have to also give her crushed oyster shells if you take her off her layer feed for a higher protein diet until she grows her feathers back. If you feed her more protien just watch her weight a over weight hen can have a lot of problems.

 

[Angileen]

when a Rooster breeds a hen he grabs her by the back of the neck and jumps on her back. His talons scratch her back and she can lose feathers. Roosters usually have their favorite hens so some hens get more tattered than others. I have a few hens that look like that from my Roosters. I ordered some hen saddle's for them. Haven't gotten them yet. They protect the hens back. Feathers can take a while to grow back. And feather growth requires more protein, you could feed her extra dried meal worms or get a higher protein feed for her, you would have to also give her crushed oyster shells if you take her off her layer feed for a higher protein diet until she grows her feathers back. If you feed her more protein just watch her weight, a over weight hen can have a lot of problems.

Also want to add that on the off chance it's a Rooster and was getting pecked on by other chickens I would think there would be more feathers missing around the head and neck. Chickens will also feather peck other chickens and eat the feathers if they are not getting enough protein in their diet. I guess you will find out if it's a Rooster for sure in another month or so.

 

[NaomiOldMac]

when a Rooster breeds a hen he grabs her by the back of the neck and jumps on her back. His talons scratch her back and she can lose feathers. Roosters usually have their favorite hens so some hens get more tattered than others. I have a few hens that look like that from my Roosters. I ordered some hen saddle's for them. Haven't gotten them yet. They protect the hens back. Feathers can take a while to grow back. And feather growth requires more protein, you could feed her extra dried meal worms or get a higher protein feed for her, you would have to also give her crushed oyster shells if you take her off her layer feed for a higher protein diet until she grows her feathers back. If you feed her more protien just watch her weight a over weight hen can have a lot of problems.

Oh okay, we don't have roosters so that's not something I had heard of before. I will see about your suggestions to help her feather grow. Thank you.

 

[NaomiOldMac]

Also want to add that on the off chance it's a Rooster and was getting pecked on by other chickens I would think there would be more feathers missing around the head and neck. Chickens will also feather peck other chickens and eat the feathers if they are not getting enough protein in their diet. I guess you will find out if it's a Rooster for sure in another month or so.

Yeah, I agree, I don't think the feather loss is from being pecked. This breed of roosters don't crow until they are about 8 months old, from what I have been told so we may not know for some time. Just have to wait.

 

[sourland]

It's a cockerel, and was severely feather pecked/plucked at his previous home.

 

[CluckerCarrolls]

That looks like a boy to me.