Hen or Rooster?

[kristeemorris]

My Buff Orpington "hen" is 8 weeks old and has started crowing occasionally in the morning. How can I tell if "Sopia" is a rooster?

 

[Pele]

Please don't grab your bird's face, all that will tell you is wether or not you have a bird that has an easy going personality, or a bird that is thinking "Hey you big jerk, let go of my face". It has nothing to do with gender.

 

[donrae]

You have a rooster,I would bet money on it.You won't find it in a book or anything because it's an old wives tale,but if you will pinch(not hard)his/her beak and if it jerks away or pecks you,it's probably a rooster.It's called the temperament test.Hope it helps.I would love to hear what happens.

You know, as a woman, even a fairly conservative woman, I find these things just so offensive! Males always struggle, females are always passive. Same for the tale of letting them dangle from their head when they're young--males fight, females just lay there. So offensive!

I agree with Sunshine--it just depends on the animal. I could to than to any pet on my place, but none of my birds. And I have mostly hens............

 

[Dartanion]

You have a rooster,I would bet money on it.You won't find it in a book or anything because it's an old wives tale,but if you will pinch(not hard)his/her beak and if it jerks away or pecks you,it's probably a rooster.It's called the temperament test.Hope it helps.I would love to hear what happens.

 

[cheepylove]

I would say roo

 

[kristeemorris]

Pinch it closed or pinch it on either side?

 

[kristeemorris]

What makes ya'll say roo?

 

[Dartanion]

Pinch the top and bottom of its beak.It's crowing which 9 out of 10 means it's rooster.Although there's always hope.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Cockerel. Age, comb size and crowing.

 

[Tricoglossus]

At 8 weeks of age, only a rooster will crow. Pullets of that age do not crow. You don't need an old wives tale - that bird is telling you he's a boy!