is it a rooster?

[jrabbit]

I just checked: Speckles definitely does NOT have a spur. Does that mean she's really a she?

 

[rufus]

I have a hen that does that, and if she wasn't such a good layer, she would be history. Cackling rooster and crowing hen come to no good end.

She is a real meanie. She killed one of the Barred Rocks. I used to work in the prison system, and there is a name for girls like that.

Rufus

 

[jrabbit]

so, now, I'm less concerned about the humping, but now I'm still worried about it ... here's the latest pictures: http://philhyde.smugmug.com/gallery/6630139_t9J2s#503602456_TYXxL

there are no developed spurs, but if you squint, you can see bumps on the heels ..............

We were pretty confident with our source, trusting that they were old enough to be sexed properly. Is it possible that the chicken would be this age (4-5 months) and NOT crow if it's really a rooster? or should we relax and assume she's a hen because no crowing?

thanks!
--janis

 

[Judy]

You need to check out saddle feathers. Probably do a search. I am not experienced enough to help you. Some hens have spurs, so I imagine some roos do not, but I don't even know that.

I THINK the chicken is old enough to sex with the shape of the saddle feathers, though. But I don't know how to do this. Check it out. You might want to select "posts" instead of "topics" when you set up the search.

 

[cruzinTbird]

So sorry your "h e n" is a ROO! See his pointed saddle feathers.

 

[klf73]

Quote:
yep, definite cockeral, those feathers in front of the tail are called sickle feathers, see how pointy they are? They mean boy.....
my birds don't get spurs until 9 months or so...

 

[philhyde]

(S)he crowed this morning!

 

[jrabbit]

so, so, so, so sad ... now we have to trade him in for a her ...

 

[jrabbit]

even more sad ... we now have a PET rooster that we can't keep. our children are too wise - they know that ppl eat roosters and are freaking out about "where" he will end up. we can't keep him - in the city ...

 

[Biddieacres]

maybe someone on here lives close enough to you to take him.