IS MY NAUGHTY EE PULLET REALLY A COCKEREL?- PICS INCLUDED

Fawn and Fam

Songster
10 Years
Apr 2, 2013
270
16
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This is 3 week old Annabelle, purchased as a pullet from a feed store. She looks like a pullet to me w/ the traditional coloring, has a small comb, and thin legs. However her body is more elongated than her sisters and her tail feathers grew in so much faster than the others. I wouldn't have questioned her sex if it weren't for her behavior. She has always been a pecker: eyes, spots on the brooder, etc. She also right away was eating the fluff off the others, then right before 2 weeks old it turned to serious feather pulling, then plucking and drawing blood. There was no reason for this behavior like malnourished, too hot, lack of space, etc. We did the isolation and tried 2 attempts at reuniting but it didn't work. Unfortunately we are going to re home her to a free range flock but need to know her sex first. I know it is early but does anyone have any idea of which sex she is?





 
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A bit too early to tell if it's a boy or a girl. The behaviors you describe are signs of overcrowding or a lack of protein. Are you feeding chick starter? If you are feeding them an appropriate feed, then it's space that's the problem. You might think they have plenty of room, but she seems to disagree.
 
They have plenty of fresh name brand chic starter, no treats except a fresh clump of grass daily, fresh ph balanced water w/ vitamins, electrolytes, and probiotics daily, plenty of room at the food and water stations, not too bright of lighting, I have a red bulb at one end of the brooder w/ food & water at the other end, they are on wood shavings not wire, they have a roost to sleep on at night, and during the day they are allowed to jump up on the sides of the brooder to perch which they do all day long ...up down up down. Even though I believe they had enough room I increased it to over 2 sq.ft. per chick and that didn't make a difference.

I've raised chicks before and never had one behave like this. I researched on line for hours and the only thing I came up w/ different is that she is possibly a cockerel or some hatcheries have such bad practices that cannibalism is inbred in them (which I don't know how I feel about that). Anyway I was just hoping to find out the sex as soon as possible so I can re home her. I hate that she is all by herself even though she can hear the others and see them a little.
 
They have plenty of fresh name brand chic starter, no treats except a fresh clump of grass daily, fresh ph balanced water w/ vitamins, electrolytes, and probiotics daily, plenty of room at the food and water stations, not too bright of lighting, I have a red bulb at one end of the brooder w/ food & water at the other end, they are on wood shavings not wire, they have a roost to sleep on at night, and during the day they are allowed to jump up on the sides of the brooder to perch which they do all day long ...up down up down. Even though I believe they had enough room I increased it to over 2 sq.ft. per chick and that didn't make a difference.

I've raised chicks before and never had one behave like this. I researched on line for hours and the only thing I came up w/ different is that she is possibly a cockerel or some hatcheries have such bad practices that cannibalism is inbred in them (which I don't know how I feel about that). Anyway I was just hoping to find out the sex as soon as possible so I can re home her. I hate that she is all by herself even though she can hear the others and see them a little.

How much room did they have prior to the increase? What seemed sufficient to you may have been insufficient with regards to this particular bird and once the behavior started it was not abated even with the increase (that often happens with bad behavior issues - even when environtmental changes are made, the behavior may remain).
What brand of starter are you using?
 
@Ol Grey Mare : over 4 sq.ft. for 3 seven day old chicks, that of of course was was a temporary brooder. The behavior (eye pecking, fuzz eating) was from day one and it progressed over six days, before they turned 2 weeks old when I placed her in isolation. Just as you mentioned I was concerned that no matter how much space she was given that the behavior wouldn't stop. I use Purina chick starter.
 
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@junebuggena : Yes probably a good idea, I just don't have the heart. We raise them as pets and are having a hard enough time giving her up but can't risk the rest of our girls. I guess we'll have to see what sex she is first then let the new owners decide her fate!
 
There is a great EE sexing thread, maybe they can help you get a decent guess on her.
My opinion on her behavior is that its her personality in bred from bad breeding. I bought hatchery stock once, I won't do that ever again.
 

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