Hen(?) suddenly started crowing after removal of Roo?

[Apocalypstick]

Hi Guys!!

So I'm new to chickens, we adopted our 4 from a hatchery programs through my daughter's day care centre.
We ended up with 3 hens and 1 rooster. The roo started crowing last week and we managed to rehome him 2 days ago. So he was here crowing his little head off for 5 days. They are approximately 15-17 weeks old

This morning our largest hen, Tortilla, made a very pathetic attempt at a crow. It was more like a half crow - a cock-a-do instead of a cock-a-doodle-do, if that makes sense. She crowed at 4am, then intermittently over a period of about 40 minutes or so and hasn't made a peep since. We're 95% positive that she's a hen, albeit a very dominant one. She made NO NOISE while our Rooster, Doomageddon, was here. Is this simply her way of exerting her dominance? Is she missing the rooster? Will she stop????? (OMG please say she'll stop). Is it possible that she is actually a Rooster? Why didn't she crow when Doomy was here?

Sorry for the 75 questions, our kids will just be devastated if we have to rehome another chicken!

Thanks xxx

 

[sourland]

It may be a crowing hen, but more likely it may be a rooster that was subordinated by 'Doomy'. Now that the dominant rooster is gone he may be asserting himself. At 15 to 17 weeks of age you should see the development of hackle and saddle feathers if it is indeed a cockerel.

 

[Apocalypstick]

Saddle feathers are the ones that stick up from the tail right?
What does a hackle look like?

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Here is a pic of my cockerel when he was 17 weeks old. Note the long pointy slender feathers on the neck(hackle) and between his wing and tail(saddle). Also his comb and wattles are larger and really red.

 

[Apocalypstick]

I just found another thread of BYC that shows the hackle and saddle feathers!

Will go and have a closer look at Tortilla now.

Thanks!

 

[Apocalypstick]

Here is a pic of my cockerel when he was 17 weeks old. Note the long pointy slender feathers on the neck(hackle) and between his wing and tail(saddle). Also his comb and wattles are larger and really red.

That's great thanks!!!

 

[Lmjc]

I think I have a roo, I have 3 RIRs 1 I think is a roo, but it seems like he's smaller than the 2 hens, is it possible for a roo to be smaller than a hen at 3 weeks of age?

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

I think I have a roo, I have 3 RIRs 1 I think is a roo, but it seems like he's smaller than the 2 hens, is it possible for a roo to be smaller than a hen at 3 weeks of age?

At 3 weeks they will pretty much be same size( give or take a few ounces). If the one you are questioning is feathering in slower, keep an eye on it and post pics at 8 weeks. RIR cockerels are usually easy to spot by then.

 

[RockerHen]

If you are talking about this bird then that is no hen. Roo, sorry.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/714197/white-leghorn-or#post_9751490

 

[Apocalypstick]

If you are talking about this bird then that is no hen. Roo, sorry.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/714197/white-leghorn-or#post_9751490

Yes that's him

After further examination I think Guinness - our other black australorp hybrid is a roo too.
So disillusioned with this stupid school hatchery program.