Hen with one spur...

[Keeperofmunchkins]

I JUST noticed, after more than three years with this hen, that she has only one small spur growing!
I had noticed her small spur over a year ago and assumed there were two... But it turns out there is just one. Is this strange or what? She's always been a bit of an oddball. There was a while at the start of her second year when she stopped laying and crowed every day. Then she went back to acting like a girl again.

In the second pic you can clearly see the spur on the ankle nearest the camera and the tiny spur bump on the ankle behind it.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

While hens aren't known for spurs, they are common in some breeds, mostly Mediterranean class.
Some of my older Penedesenca hens have formidable spurs a couple inches long or more.

 

[jessieclark]

Thank you

While hens aren't known for spurs, they are common in some breeds, mostly Mediterranean class.
Some of my older Penedesenca hens have formidable spurs a couple inches long or more.

So good to know! My 7-month-old penedesenca hen has some small spurs so I was wondering! She also has a huge single comb, hasn’t started laying, and crowed several times the other day. If she hadn’t feathered out like a pullet, I’d have some questions!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Thank you

So good to know! My 7-month-old penedesenca hen has some small spurs so I was wondering! She also has a huge single comb, hasn’t started laying, and crowed several times the other day. If she hadn’t feathered out like a pullet, I’d have some questions!

Can you post a picture? Do you have more than one Pene? What variety? If the picture is good enough, I should be able to clarify the gender of a 7 month old. Sometimes I can identify sex by 5 to 7 days. but that requires looking at same age siblings from the same parentage.
It doesn't sound quite right. I've had hundreds of penedesencas and never a pullet/hen that crowed.
A pullet will have a very large comb but will flop over by maturity. Does the comb have side sprigs at the rear? What color are her earlobes?

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

Thank you

So good to know! My 7-month-old penedesenca hen has some small spurs so I was wondering! She also has a huge single comb, hasn’t started laying, and crowed several times the other day. If she hadn’t feathered out like a pullet, I’d have some questions!

All chickens have spurs, no matter their breed, age or gender. You are simply not noticing the spurs on other females because they are very small and hard to notice if you do not pay attention. However, females usually do not crow unless there is no male around in the flock. Can you post a picture so we can decide if you are right with your assumption on gender?

 

[MysteryChicken]

I JUST noticed, after more than three years with this hen, that she has only one small spur growing!
I had noticed her small spur over a year ago and assumed there were two... But it turns out there is just one. Is this strange or what? She's always been a bit of an oddball. There was a while at the start of her second year when she stopped laying and crowed every day. Then she went back to acting like a girl again. View attachment 1709259 View attachment 1709260
In the second pic you can clearly see the spur on the ankle nearest the camera and the tiny spur bump on the ankle behind it.

I've got lots of hens with spurs. It's quite common.

1, Blue Face Hatch hen

3, Silkie Hens

1, Olive Egger Hen

2, Red JungleFowl Hens

1, Sumatra Hen

1, Malay Hen

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Lots of hens with spurs here, and I've had a handful of hems that crowed with other males in the flock while still laying eggs

 

[jessieclark]

All chickens have spurs, no matter their breed, age or gender. You are simply not noticing the spurs on other females because they are very small and hard to notice if you do not pay attention. However, females usually do not crow unless there is no male around in the flock. Can you post a picture so we can decide if you are right with your assumption on gender?

Good to know that all chickens have spurs! Happy to share pictures of our partridge penedesenca pullet. See attached here! Since the roosters feather out so differently (https://meyerhatchery.com/products/Partridge-Penedesenca-Day-Old-Chicks-p213527112), I'm assuming she is a pullet. I wish I could share the video of her crowing - it won't upload. It was definitely not like our rooster crow but more of a crow than anything I could explain. Neck extended, seemed to be trying to imitate a crow. She did it a lot in one sitting and then I haven't seen her do it again. I haven't seen her lay any eggs, but I hear the darker the egg, the longer it takes. And also that penedesencas can lay in discreet places, so maybe we need to go on an easter egg hunt. All of our other hens with her hatch date (different breeds than this) took to the nesting boxes right away.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

Good to know that all chickens have spurs! Happy to share pictures of our partridge penedesenca pullet. See attached here! Since the roosters feather out so differently (https://meyerhatchery.com/products/Partridge-Penedesenca-Day-Old-Chicks-p213527112), I'm assuming she is a pullet. I wish I could share the video of her crowing - it won't upload. It was definitely not like our rooster crow but more of a crow than anything I could explain. Neck extended, seemed to be trying to imitate a crow. She did it a lot in one sitting and then I haven't seen her do it again. I haven't seen her lay any eggs, but I hear the darker the egg, the longer it takes. And also that penedesencas can lay in discreet places, so maybe we need to go on an easter egg hunt. All of our other hens with her hatch date (different breeds than this) took to the nesting boxes right away.

That is a female because of her female-specific coloring. You will not find that specific plumage color anywhere on a male. My Welsummer hen has longer spurs than my cockerels and they are pretty sharp. She isn't that old, she just developed hers out fast.

 

[jessieclark]

Thanks for confirming! How long did it take your penedesencas to start laying? Did they lay in nesting boxes?