Hen? Rooster? Huh?

[tjp1014]

We have a 10 week old chicken and cannot determine the sex. We hatched it from an egg we got from a farmer friend who has many different breeds of chickens. It appears to be a Delaware crossed with something else.

Its comb is big but droops to one side (not entirely flops)
Its hackle and waddle feathers are rounded and not shiny
Has a body like a rooster - more streamlined not as heavy looking as a hen
It is very curious and not fearful
It has not attempted to crow - just makes peeps and clucks

Anything else I should look out for? I would post pictures, but my camera is not working.

Thanks!

 

[cmom]

Do you have a picture?

 

[tjp1014]

Sorry, my camera is not working.

 

[tinychicky]

sounds like a hen, but really you need a pic

 

[Griffin Nest]

when did it begin growing tail feathers?

 

[triplepurpose]

In my experience, ten weeks is still kinda early to be sure about gender. I often can't tell till at least three months, particularly if the chick is mixed-breed, and I'm not always sure for a little while after that. With mutt chickens, distinctions like comb size and tale feathers and body shape are pretty much useless since you're often without a frame of reference...

 

[tinychicky]

Quote:
uhhh i hate to contradict you, but gender determination is usually possible by 4-6 weeks at least for the experienced eye...

 

[laseterlass]

Our Orpie Roo is 3.5 weeks and is a goon compared to the pullets. Big feet, tall, retarded feather growth, Curled under tail feathers. His comb and wattles are no diff but his attitude sure is. He roosts above the 10 pullets on the edge of their shoe box at night and makes a big fuss to draw their attention when he finds something yummy in the yard. He is also the friendliest of the bunch. Always underfoot wanting to get on your shoulder. I figured it out a week ago even.

 

[triplepurpose]

Quote:
uhhh i hate to contradict you, but gender determination is usually possible by 4-6 weeks at least for the experienced eye...

With purebreds or known crosses yes, definitely. With a few breeds, even earlier. My time-frame estimation might be a bit off (I'm not great with numbers

), but my point was that specifically with mixed-breeds of uncertain parentage it can be pretty hard to tell gender for sure until relatively late in development. Even so, I once had a small young cockerel with a small comb and late-blooming tail feathers who squatted like a hen whenever I came near him or reached to pick him up--everyone thought he was a pullet for quite some time, but his adult plumage eventually filled out and he learned to crow and he went on to father several chicks. I'm not saying that's typical, just that it can happen with mutts... and the OP said they weren't sure of this chick's parentage, and they don't have other hatch mates and adults of the same stock to compare it to for reference...?

 

[tjp1014]

Thanks everyone for the help.

The chick developed tail feathers within the first few weeks (not sure of exactly when). We will just wait and see what we have