Is my she really a he???? How do I know??

[kd949]

I never though it would be so hard to know if Ruby is really Rudy!

This is obviously my first time with chickens!! I have two- an EE and Rode Island Red. Both were born last May. The EE (Lilly) just started laying about a month- month and a half ago and she lays a egg every other day. The Rode Island Red (Ruby) is still not laying. She (or he??) will sit in the hay and look like she (he?) is making a nest (or laying box)- but nothing!! She doesn't crow- but she is getting louder and louder with her cackles. I've never seen her try to mount Lilly, but I don't know at what age they would try to mate if Ruby really was a rooster. Plus, she has a big fluffy butt- aren't roosters lean in the back end? There was a time- 3 or 4 months ago that she did the crouch thing that I have read about indicates they are ready to lay eggs, but she hasn't done it for a while.

Can anyone tell me- do I have a hen? Do I have a rooster? Or is Ruby a "very confused" chicken??

 

[Crazyland]

Do you have pictures?

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

I'm sure we can tell ya in a second if you post a pic

 

[countrygurl]

She would probably be laying by now, but some hens just never lay any eggs. If she were a rooster she would all ready be crowing, I've never heard of a rooster who couldn't crow. But please correct me if i'm wrong : )

 

[kd949]

I'll go find her and post a pic as soon as I can!

 

[kd949]

OK! Remind me how to post photos??? Do I have to use Photobucket?

 

[kd949]

Here we go!
I had to post this one when I saw it in my uploads!! This was them almost a year ago!!

And now:

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

That's a hen

She may be hiding her eggs

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

How old did you say she was? is that a standard chicken next to her? She sure has a long neck LOL

 

[kd949]

The one sort of next to her is a really small EE (she is not much bigger then a dove!!) They both look so small in the first photo!

As for hiding her eggs- There aren't many places she could hide them! I've searched EVERYWHERE! Our backyard is really small (and fenced in- yup.. we're trendy suburban chicken farmers

You might be able to fit three cars bumper to bumper in a line in our back yard) and I've actually locked them in the side yard, in their hutch area (would fit one car) thinking maybe I've missed some weird hiding spot- but 4 days later (and two eggs from the EE- plus an earful from the two of them and some not-so grateful neighbors!!) I let them "free range" again.

If she really is a she....then what do I do about the no egg thing??? Is there anything I can do to help her? Are there chickens who never lay? Her saving grace is that she is SO SWEET and so tolerant of the kids! My youngest picks her up and carries her all over! Lilly (the EE) wants nothing to do with anyone but me.