Is my hen turning into a rooster???!!! - now with pics!

esjro

Songster
11 Years
Aug 22, 2008
109
1
121
Stockton, NJ
This is going to sound strange, but...

I have a red star hen who is 11-12 weeks old. I bought her along with another red star from the same hatch. I also bought 2 EEs and 2 barred rocks at the same time who are supposedly about the same age. Up until recently they were developing in a similar manner, in terms of weight, look of their feathers, behavior, etc.

During the last week the red star (Esther) has started acting like a rooster. She flies over the fence and wanders towards our house on her own, stands on logs, branches or anything high she can get to and tries to crow while the other chickens are grazing, etc. I have read here and in books about hens acting like roosters in the absence of true roosters but here is the kicker... over the last couple of weeks her comb and waddles have become very developed compared to the other ladies. The other ladies have pale starts or combs and nubs for waddles, but Esther's are huge by comparison! Red stars are supposed to be sex linked, so is it possible she is turning into a rooster? The behavior I can understand, but why is she developing physically in a different way from the other ladies?

I did a search on the forums and saw a report of a chicken turning into a roo after an injury to her ovary, but Esther has not had any injuries that I know of, she is just acting butch. No signs of spurs though. I am puzzle!
 
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Are you positive she was a hen when you bought her? I've heard of it, but I have never had roosters and none of my hens ever turned into one, I do have one hen that sort of crows every once in a long while.
 
It's my understanding that while mistakes on sexing sex-links are rare, they do happen.
Perhaps post a pic and let everyone try to figure out for sure?
 
Good idea Gritsar, I will take a picture of her tomorrow. I will also get a snap of the other red star of the same age who is definitely a hen.

Edited to say: if she does turn out to be a boy, I have a name picked out... Esther will become Chester!
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Okay, here is the physical evidence.

This photo shows Esther and her sisters at 5-6 weeks. They look very similar (just the beginnings of combs):
estheryoung.jpg


Here Esther is currently at 11-12 weeks:
esther_olivia.jpg


Notice how much bigger her comb and wattles are compared to the other ladies:
esther1.jpg


What do you think?
 
Buh-buh-buh-buh-but what about the sex-link thing?! And I thought by going with the Stars I had chosen so wisely!
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