I think one of my Roos has some disorder of sex development

[3SiameseCats]

I love genetics. Particularly when it comes to disorders of sex development (DSD’s). And I’ve been noticing some odd behaviors in one of my Roos that aren’t rooster like at all. Both my Roos are over 20 weeks old, and both Road Island Reds. The one that im thinking something is up with is Lucky, and the other one is Goat.

You see, Lucky can’t crow. Well, he tries, but it sounds totally different from Goat. He isn’t as rooster looking too. He also thinks he’s a hen and has climbed in the nesting boxes multiple times. Still waiting for the egg. And him and the other roo don’t fight at all despite the amount of hens (5). He does still seem to want to mount on the hens though. Goat is reaching mean roo stage, but Lucky is still wildly kind. It’s just all these things make me think he has some sort of genetic condition. I love him either way, but it’s rather interesting to me that it might be what’s going on.

Lucky

Goat

Lucky in nesting box

 

[The Moonshiner]

Sounds pretty normal for the less dominate cockerel to me.

 

[LaFleche]

He is showing the hens where to lay which is what a good and socially apt male would do. Nothing strange about his behaviour.

 

[fluffycrow]

Yep. Sounds totally normal

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

As others have indicated, this all sounds pretty typical of two cockerels of the same age growing up together. One is more mature and more dominant, which is why he looks bigger and flashier already. The nest box thing is also pretty typical behavior of males, showing the girls where the good nesting places are. Even my old, old Silkie rooster who is definitely all rooster would do that on occasion. And the crowing should improve with age and practice. My coop sounds like a bunch of children with party blowers invaded it with all the cockerels I have trying to impress with their sad little crows.

With two males and that male to female ratio, you should probably start making preparations for an area to separate one or both boys out in an emergency, for the record. While many males can get along okay if they grow up together, sometimes one day they just decide they can no longer get along and start fighting. Their fighting can not only cause injuries to each other, but to pullets that get in the way as well. And it's also pretty common for fighting to break out between males because of one mating, meaning that the pullet he is breeding when the other male attacks can be injured or trampled in the scuffle. Chicken adolescence is not for the faint of heart! With that number of females, I personally would start looking for a new home for one of those boys now, before problems arise. But having an area where you can separate one of them to if needed is a good place to start at least.

 

[nicalandia]

Sounds pretty normal for the less dominate cockerel to me.

This....

 

[genxjanette]

I would keep the more docile one that is showing the hens where the good nesting box is.