Increasing Estrogen in Hen due to Gender Dysphoria Disorder?

[keesmom]

Are you positive it is a pullet? Could also be a slow developing cockerel, or a submissive one that didn't want to call attention to himself until the dominant male was gone.

 

[black_cat]

I thought a hen being broody was also natural, and people often "fix" it by breaking her. I was wanting to check to see if I could feed her more of something to rebalance her hormones. I am not trying to subvert natural tendencies, just want my sweet hen back.

The bird is 8 & 1/2 months old.

Ok, thank you. I will look into soy. You are right, she is acting as a protector. I guess in the long run that may be nice... I have a "rooster" without the crowing.

I will try to get a photo and video later this afternoon!

Thank you, @aart. I was not sure what to call them. My itial research saw this called 3 things (in order of "popularity"): 1) crowing hen 2) transgender 3) dysphoria. Is there a chicken-specific term for a sex change?

I think I missed this, as it is no longer here. But, no worries. This was certainly not a joke though.

Thank you. I promise I would not joke about this.

[/QUOTE]

I thought a hen being broody was also natural, and people often "fix" it by breaking her. I was wanting to check to see if I could feed her more of something to rebalance her hormones. I am not trying to subvert natural tendencies, just want my sweet hen back.
It is natural, however, it is harmful to the hen's health to sit on a nest of eggs that won't hatch. She won't eat or get proper exercise. Switching genders or taking on rooster behaviors is not detrimental to the hen's health.
The bird is 8 & 1/2 months old.

Ok, thank you. I will look into soy. You are right, she is acting as a protector. I guess in the long run that may be nice... I have a "rooster" without the crowing.
Just because she is acting as a protector doesn't mean that she's switching genders. Lead hens will protect the flock as well, but not to the extent that a rooster will.
I will try to get a photo and video later this afternoon!
Thank you, @aart. I was not sure what to call them. My itial research saw this called 3 things (in order of "popularity"): 1) crowing hen 2) transgender 3) dysphoria. Is there a chicken-specific term for a sex change?
I think I missed this, as it is no longer here. But, no worries. This was certainly not a joke though.
Thank you. I promise I would not joke about this. [/QUOTE]
I agree with @aart that the hen isn't having 'gender dysphoria' or 'transgender tendencies'. She's not figuring out her identity, she's just naturally changing roles in the flock.

 

[black_cat]

Are you positive it is a pullet? Could also be a slow developing cockerel, or a submissive one that didn't want to call attention to himself until the dominant male was gone.

Good point.

 

[Aapomp831]

Good point.

Now I’m super curious... hope to get a pic soon if you can

 

[aart]

Is there a chicken-specific term for a sex change?

'Sex change' works.

I will look into soy. You are right, she is acting as a protector. I guess in the long run that may be nice... I have a "rooster" without the crowing.

Before you go trying to change her behavior thru diet(doubtful at best).
Let fully examine her behavior and appearance.
It's not unusual for a female to be 'protector' and other cock/erel duties, when no male is present.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Your chicken doesn't have dysphoria. Gender is a human concept that only we humans get caught up on. Chickens don't care and they don't think behavior is restricted to boys vs girls - that would be deeply unpractical if for example a flock lost its rooster and needed a leader. Behavior is not restricted to one sex or another and the chickens don't oust other chickens for not fitting into stereotypes. Your hen is fine and soy has been proven to have a negligible effect on humans when eaten as their main protein source and won't change your hen.

Let her be normal. This isn't a problem with the hen - she's fine. I'd suggest the source of the problem here is a little closer to home than the chicken coop.

 

[Shadrach]

@noabtz
I've got one like that. Her name is Lock. She doesn't lay eggs and she acts like a rooster. She isn't a rooster, I've checked. She's lovely and I wouldn't want to change what she is.

I've had a couple of female non egg layers in the past. They were lovely too. Not quite a masculine as Knock in behaviour and one was the senior of her tribe.
It's great isn't it. Chickens capable of spanning all genders.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

I thought a hen being broody was also natural, and people often "fix" it by breaking her. I was wanting to check to see if I could feed her more of something to rebalance her hormones. I am not trying to subvert natural tendencies, just want my sweet hen back.

The bird is 8 & 1/2 months old.

Ok, thank you. I will look into soy. You are right, she is acting as a protector. I guess in the long run that may be nice... I have a "rooster" without the crowing.

I will try to get a photo and video later this afternoon!

Thank you, @aart. I was not sure what to call them. My itial research saw this called 3 things (in order of "popularity"): 1) crowing hen 2) transgender 3) dysphoria. Is there a chicken-specific term for a sex change?

I think I missed this, as it is no longer here. But, no worries. This was certainly not a joke though.

Thank you. I promise I would not joke about this.

What abnormal behaviors is she exhibiting?

 

[noahs_flock]

Are you positive it is a pullet? Could also be a slow developing cockerel, or a submissive one that didn't want to call attention to himself until the dominant male was gone.

I am positive this bird is female, as she has laid eggs previously. No eggs anymore though.

It is natural, however, it is harmful to the hen's health to sit on a nest of eggs that won't hatch. She won't eat or get proper exercise. Switching genders or taking on rooster behaviors is not detrimental to the hen's health.

Just because she is acting as a protector doesn't mean that she's switching genders. Lead hens will protect the flock as well, but not to the extent that a rooster will.

I agree with @aart that the hen isn't having 'gender dysphoria' or 'transgender tendencies'. She's not figuring out her identity, she's just naturally changing roles in the flock.

I appreciate your response. My question is: does becoming a 'protector' mean the hen has to give up egg production?

Now I’m super curious... hope to get a pic soon if you can

'Sex change' works.

Before you go trying to change her behavior thru diet(doubtful at best).
Let fully examine her behavior and appearance.
It's not unusual for a female to be 'protector' and other cock/erel duties, when no male is present.

Good to know. Typically, when female acts as the 'protector' due to no male birds present, do they also stop egg production?

Your chicken doesn't have dysphoria. Gender is a human concept that only we humans get caught up on. Chickens don't care and they don't think behavior is restricted to boys vs girls - that would be deeply unpractical if for example a flock lost its rooster and needed a leader. Behavior is not restricted to one sex or another and the chickens don't oust other chickens for not fitting into stereotypes. Your hen is fine and soy has been proven to have a negligible effect on humans when eaten as their main protein source and won't change your hen.

Let her be normal. This isn't a problem with the hen - she's fine. I'd suggest the source of the problem here is a little closer to home than the chicken coop.

Will all due respect, chicken behavior is restricted to boys vs girls. My boys crow, my girls lay eggs. This former-egg layer is now acting aggressively and trying to crow. That certainly seems like an attempted sex-change to me. I am not sure how stopping egg production and mimicking a rooster is normal. Is it really a problem with me rather than the hen for trying to get egg production back to my normal amount? I do not find this behavior normal at all. My chickens are not simply pets, but also partially livestock. I cannot afford to have a bunch of hens choosing not to lay eggs. My 5 other hens have no problem laying eggs. I made this thread to find out if maybe my chickens are lacking a certain vitamin or hormone that I could supplement. I do not think it is fair to call me outrageous for wanting to figure this out and not simply roll over and call it normal.

@noabtz
I've got one like that. Her name is Lock. She doesn't lay eggs and she acts like a rooster. She isn't a rooster, I've checked. She's lovely and I wouldn't want to change what she is.
View attachment 2414618

I've had a couple of female non egg layers in the past. They were lovely too. Not quite a masculine as Knock in behaviour and one was the senior of her tribe.
It's great isn't it. Chickens capable of spanning all genders.

I agree, it is remarkable that a chicken can undergo this process. I have even read about changes to ovaries due to a shift mentally in a chicken to act as the rooster. In some ways, it could be nice to have a rooster figure without the crow... or so I thought. But, now the chicken just tries to crow but it doesn't come out.

What abnormal behaviors is she exhibiting?

Standing up more tall like a rooster, trying to crow, stopped egg production, acting more protective/slightly aggressive. So far, hasn't tried to mount my hens.

 

[NatJ]

I will look into soy.

Many chicken foods contain soy as a source of protein--so you should probably start by reading the ingredients list on the bag of feed you currently have.

(I have no idea whether soy has any effect on a hen's hormones; I just know it's already common in chicken food.)