I can't let it go - 5/12 updated photos!

[llnmaw]

I've posted pics of my BA twice and have heard that she is a pullet...but I have a niggling suspicion she is not. Calm my fears or confirm them maybe?

Reasons I 'suspect' her:
-Tree trunks for legs, though she is a big bird and they seem proportionate to her size.

-I'm told she is about 9-11 weeks, has small wattles/comb but they are pinking up, dare I say getting red (not just at the base), and I've read over and over that red at a 'young age' equals roo. Is 9-11 weeks still a 'young age'? Normal for a BA her age?

-She is getting aggressive again. She went a little nutty picking on a wee one we incorporated about 3 weeks ago. Sorted that out. Today while out for a romp she pecked at and did lots of roo like posturing with our known roo (near same age) and she was totally the dominate one. I had to put her away, she was relentless!. She has always been my favorite, very docile, liked to be held/cuddled.

-She has a deep funny chirp.

Is that because she is older? She has really had this deep chirp for a long time. Or again a BA thing? She is our only BA..so I've nothing to compare her to.

She stands like a roo....has that sleek look of one.

Her tail feathers stick straight up. None of the others do this, even our BR roo (which makes me question his roo-hood...his body shape is like our pullets, his comb/wattles and barring say roo...can you tell I'm lost??!)

Ideas?

Thank you!
~L.

 

[shandiane78]

Pics, please!

 

[llnmaw]

lemme see if this works....my most recent post. Photos are about a week old:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=473975

I know her tail feathers are not sticking up in the photos and I can take an updated one if needed. She had really odd behavior up until the last week where whenever out of the brooder she sat right were we put her. The whole time. never moved. Now she is trucking all over the yard so I got a chance to notice her perkyupright tail.

Another 'symptom' I remembered. Her tail feather are crazy long. Now she is our oldest, by about 3 weeks, so maybe for her age it's normal. (??) Her tail feathers are long and slender whereas the others (even our BR roo) have shorter wide tails.



~L.

 

[speakup4kids]

I don't think she is a roo. I think she is a pullet that is older than you think she is and is getting closer to laying so her behavior is changing. The comb and wattle will start to redden up a bit and she will tend to act a bit more territorial when this happens. My pullets are all bigger than my roos so I never even try to use size as an indicator of sex.

 

[LittleChickenLady]

Looks like an older pullet to me too.

 

[llnmaw]

Okay, Okay after 3seperate posts WITH pictures nobody has hinted that maybe she could be a roo...so I'm going to try to let it go!

Thanks for easing my worries. I'm so sad about the one we have to re-home (we are only allowed to have 4!) that the thought of sending another away was really worrying me.

I can't wait until she lays an egg!!!

Chillin out about her until that time!
~L.

 

[mother o' chicks72]

Quote:
we're only aloud to have 4...without a permit. you could probably get a permit so that you could have more

 

[lady feathers]

Some females are just bossy.... my BA hen thinks she runs the flock not my roo, gives him a run for his money every once in a while (chasing/posturing at him). Occasionally I have to chase her around to remind her she may be able to bully my swet gentlemanly roo, but don't get any ideas.... "I am the lead hen around here". And picking on a younger chick can be expected from most, my silkies are a week and ahalf older than my BSL and wyandotte and they picked at thm alot! remember everybodies waddle is going to turn red eventually, my roos strated turning at about 4 -5 weeks.... she's on schedule!

 

[SunnyCalifornia]

My BA are bossy too. And one of them when she was a chick, towered over the rest and had a funny upright tail. She still carries it higher than the rest, but now I think its because she's the biggest diva. The others caught up with her in size eventually, and she's now quite average in the flock. Just had an early growth spurt I guess.

My BA are my friendliest chickens to humans, but also the bossiest. My buff orps are by far the LOUDEST!

Holy mackerel, the whole world knows when they are uncomfortable.

 

[key west chick]

I dont see any pointy saddle feathers yet. Im thinking just a big girl!