I’m worried I may have a male?!

[Melissacoop]

Until you get either a crow or an egg! ... Nah - give him/her another week or two and post some more pictures. Make sure you get a good one from the side that shows neck feathers along with the comb, one from the front and a good all-over profile. That comb looks awfully bright and substantial for a pullet and the legs may be a bit thick, but neither is pronounced enough to make any guarantees. I'm leaning a bit towards cockerel, but there's still hope!

Thank you!!

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Wow! Now that you say that I do think he’s not as friendly as the others and did try to bite when my son tried to pick him up!

How does the feed store sell them as females? They just say they know but they really don’t?!

Feed stores get their birds from hatcheries who sell either sexed or straight run birds.
Even with sexed chicks, there is a chance to get a cockerel in with the pullets because mistakes happen. Or someone could pick up a chick and place them back into the wrong bin - it happens.
When getting chicks or ducklings (or any small animal for that matter), just realize that whomever sexed them could have made a mistake. That is why you see the majority of these types of threads asking others to verify the gender of the bird.
Just thinking out loud here, but if you aren't allowed to have chickens at all and are found out, what happens then? Have you prepared yourself for that?
Hens aren't as quiet as people tend to think. I have one who attempts to crow and cackles the typical rooster alarm when she perceives something as danger approaching. As well, the egg laying song can be quite loud.
Also, roosters aren't as mean as people perceive you really have to be a flock observer to figure out what is going on (mating rituals, pecking order, etc.). Chicks will bite because they don't want picked up (they are prey animals and it is a way of protection) and pecking is used to establish order. I have a gecko who bites at me when I have to pick him up to clean his aquarium or for general heath checks. He doesn't want to become something's dinner.

 

[Melissacoop]

Feed stores get their birds from hatcheries who sell either sexed or straight run birds.
Even with sexed chicks, there is a chance to get a cockerel in with the pullets because mistakes happen. Or someone could pick up a chick and place them back into the wrong bin - it happens.
When getting chicks or ducklings (or any small animal for that matter), just realize that whomever sexed them could have made a mistake. That is why you see the majority of these types of threads asking others to verify the gender of the bird.
Just thinking out loud here, but if you aren't allowed to have chickens at all and are found out, what happens then? Have you prepared yourself for that?
Hens aren't as quiet as people tend to think. I have one who attempts to crow and cackles the typical rooster alarm when she perceives something as danger approaching. As well, the egg laying song can be quite loud.
Also, roosters aren't as mean as people perceive you really have to be a flock observer to figure out what is going on (mating rituals, pecking order, etc.). Chicks will bite because they don't want picked up (they are prey animals and it is a way of protection) and pecking is used to establish order. I have a gecko who bites at me when I have to pick him up to clean his aquarium or for general heath checks. He doesn't want to become something's dinner.

I have someplace to rehome them in the event I have to. I will be heartbroken though. I never expected to get so attached to them!!

 

[jolenesdad]

I don’t think all roosters are aggressive by any means. I just feel that a first time chicken owner is better served not having a rooster until they’re more familiar with chickens in general and in a place where they can legally have a rooster.

I do think however that the odds are stacked against you having a manageable rooster if you don’t know how to manage one in the first place.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I have someplace to rehome them in the event I have to. I will be heartbroken though. I never expected to get so attached to them!!

Can you rehome your cockerel there if needed? I understand getting attached. That's why I asked.
I was given older chickens and am attached enough that when it was suggested to cull and start fresh, I said nope.

 

[coltgrizzz]

Omg! No I don’t want him slaughtered!! I got them from the local feed store. I will call them.

That’s good, they might know people who need a rooster or are interested in rescuing them

 

[Melissacoop]

I don’t think all roosters are aggressive by any means. I just feel that a first time chicken owner is better served not having a rooster until they’re more familiar with chickens in general and in a place where they can legally have a rooster.

I do think however that the odds are stacked against you having a manageable rooster if you don’t know how to manage one in the first place.

I totally agree

 

[Starwise]

One of our mail order chicks turned out to be a roo, much to my wife's dismay. As a chick he was always the first one to come check what was on your hand and wanted to be picked up and held. If you didn't pick him up from the brooder he would jump up to the edge and come see me closer. He would handfeed treats and sit on my shoulder as long as I let him.
At about 8 weeks old I rehomed all into the coop with the older hens and since then his attitude has changed. He avoids me and doesn't like to be held ever since. But, when I corner him up and pick him up, he puts up with it and lets me check him out. Never bites, never tries to scratch, no aggressiveness at all.
I'd say I have a very good roo so far, he is alert and gentle. Even when he mounts few of the girls through the day, he doesn't pull out their feathers or peck them unnecessarily. I never thought of separating him from the rest. I think his easy going behavior comes partly because we had 4 older hens, which all quickly pecked him down few notches in the coop. He still gives room for the older hens and doesn't challenge them in any way.
His crowing isn't as bad as I expected, only does it few times here and there. To comparison, our neighbors rooster seems to go off all day long. But we also live in a rural neighborhood, there are no restrictions to having any animals. You can't put a bad label on a single animal just because he's a roo, how he might turn out. Even my wife hasn't demanded getting rid of him anymore, even if she doesn't like him as much as she adores the girls.
As others already pointed out, chickens can be rather loud too. Some of ours are as loud or louder than Mr. Buttercup with their egg songs. You should make friends of your neighbors by giving them some eggs or maybe they could use some of the composted bedding in their gardens.

 

[EggWalrus]

I’m not even allowed to have chickens in my yard let alone a rooster!!!
I’m so upset

If there weren't any roosters, there wouldn't be any chickens. It takes two to tango.

 

[EggWalrus]

But then he can live with the girls??

The girls dang sure ain't gonna kill him. Unless they love him to death.