Hen? Rooster? Oh. Rooster.

[JammyWammy]

I bought a small chick one day and months later it is now a fully grown chicken. throughout that duration I was talking to a friend of mine online who claims to be experienced in terms of raising chickens and just farm stuff in general. earlier on into the chicken's life, said friend told me that it's definitely a baby hen and I thought so too since it wasn't crowing and it had no spurs to speak of. but now I see it's definitely a rooster. at around 20 weeks old I was waiting for an egg to be laid but there was nothing. at 22~23 weeks old it started crowing. it's been 2 months or so and it's been crowing consistently since. the friend told me that it's still definitely a hen that started showing male behaviour because it grew up by itself, which I do kinda believe because at the first month the chicken's "crow" was more so like just a yell. it sounded nothing like the crows of other chickens I've ever come across before, but nowadays it seems to be in line with what a normal rooster's crow sounds like so I'm just confused now. I want to get other chickens into the flock but I have no idea whatsoever what gender of chickens I should get. REALLY hoping to get a concrete answer from here, to end the confusion once and for all.

 

[Sussex19]

Can you post some photos of it?
From you description, it sounds like it most likely is a male, and your friend was mistaken. (easily done when they are young, if one don't know what to look for)

 

[rosemarythyme]

Can't ID without photos.

Any reason why you only got 1 chick? Chickens are flock animals. The gender of this bird doesn't really have anything to do with adding additional birds, unless you have a specific reason you don't want both males and females.

 

[JammyWammy]

one more reason I believed it was a hen is that afaik crows start at 8~10 weeks, not 23.

Can you post some photos of it?
From you description, it sounds like it most likely is a male, and your friend was mistaken. (easily done when they are young, if one don't know what to look for)

sure thing, do you need any specific spot for the picture?

 

[Sussex19]

one more reason I believed it was a hen is that afaik crows start at 8~10 weeks, not 23.

sure thing, do you need any specific spot for the picture?

Ideally, one from the side square on, and one of the comb.
But a good overall photo is the main thing.

When cockerels start crowing is very much down to the individual, some can take a bit longer to mature.

 

[JammyWammy]

Ideally, one from the side square on, and one of the comb.
But a good overall photo is the main thing.

When cockerels start crowing is very much down to the individual, some can take a bit longer to mature.

was sort of hard and i got pecked violently but here! (sorry for bad camera)

 

[JammyWammy]

Can't ID without photos.

Any reason why you only got 1 chick? Chickens are flock animals. The gender of this bird doesn't really have anything to do with adding additional birds, unless you have a specific reason you don't want both males and females.

I bought three at first but they weren't mine they were my sister's. she neglected them and because of that 2 died, that's when I got the last remaining one. I tried to buy more but I live in a bad country so alot of the chickens you'd get are most likely going to be already sick. I tried to get chicks and raise them, and I bought 4 in total. 3 died within 3 days and one had leg injury when I bought him that I didn't notice. when it grew up the injury got worse and it died slowly.

my main goal is to breed more chickens like to hatch them myself that's why I'd like them to be of the opposite gender.

 

[Sussex19]

was sort of hard and i got pecked violently but here! (sorry for bad camera)

He is 100% a rooster.
I think your friend might not know that much about chickens after all, or at least not sexing them.
The red colouring on the wings, the pointed and drooping saddle feathers, thick chunky legs, large comb and wattles, and the fact that he is crowing, means he is most definitely a rooster.
I think you are safe to get some nice hens to go with him!

 

[JammyWammy]

you really don't need to sugar coat it im very dum. I just wanted to be 200% certain, so thank you for the answer!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I agree, it's definitely a boy for the reasons Sussex19 listed. So if your goal is to breed, then you will want all girls.

Sorry the other chicks didn't make it - I wasn't sure how much you knew about chickens and sometimes people see videos about "cute pet chickens" and think it'd be great to just get one. So I wanted to make sure you understood that he'd do best with other chickens around.