Is One of My Hens More Advanced Than the Other???

[Chicken Boo]

The first week of May I picked out these two leghorns, Cumulus and Nimbus, at the feed store (along with 3 EEs and a RIR, but that's another story).

About a month ago, one of them started to develop a comb and wattles. I expected the other one to follow suit withing a week. Instead, her comb remained small and pink and they look completely different as far as those features are concerned. Otherwise, they look exactly the same. The perspective and uneven ground makes one look bigger than the other, but they are similar in size. I have not heard an extra crow yet, just the crow of my current rooster, Monarch the Japanese Kabo bantam.

I was just beginning to resign myself to owning another rooster when I walked into the hen house and saw this:

I did not find an egg later but they are between 18 and 21 weeks old and could be getting ready.

So, do I have two hens developing at different rates OR a hen and a rooster that hasn't found his vocal chords yet?

 

[Chicken Boo]

Anybody want to venture an opinion?

 

[Year of the Rooster]

I think you're right that one is just developing faster than the other. Both look like hens to me and I see no obvious signs that the one with redder/larger comb and wattles is a rooster.

 

[Qi Chicken]

Hmmm. I don't know. For May babies that guy has a huge red comb. My roo often sits in the nest box (or he did until we gave him away tonight

) but he has never laid an egg. If he had I think we would have kept him! I think roo.

Love the names!

 

[Lovable Chicks]

I have 2 hens who just started laying this week...One had the large comb and wattles(like yours) the other hens was smaller. Same kind of chickens.

here is the one kinda like yours

Sorry but no pic of the other hen. They were born in April.

 

[Chicken Boo]

Thank you.

I still have my fingers crossed that they are both she's. I think the thing that is most in my favor is that there has been no crowing yet.

 

[featherz]

I have 17 wk leghorn pullets and several are starting to get their laying combs while one is lagging behind. Not big and flipping over yet, but getting there. Seems the combs sprout up overnight when they are getting ready to lay!

 

[CCFarms9559]

I got my chicks in May and some have combs and are laying and others are still small and pink. I think they are just developing differently. I vote for waiting it out.

 

[TyrannosaurusChix]

Dont worry, if thats a leghorn, its a woman!


I bought all leghorn pullets from a feed store and at 2 WEEKS one had a HUGE comb!!!! hes a boy, but i have one pullet out there( they are 16 weeks now) with a redder and slightly larger comb than her sisterhood.. i have NO fears that she is a girl compared to foghorn who has saddles, hackles, is crowing AND his comb has to stand about 5 inches off his head and is about 8 inches long with LARGE quarter/50 cent piece wattles. hanging off each end.


he is feeling his emotions so bad he doesnt even know what to do other than yell about it !

 

[Chicken Boo]

I feel much relieved. These are my first LHs. I was also holding onto hope because their tails still looked similar. So, I should start looking for my first white egg soon!!!

I was a little worried about the reaction of the one bantam rooster I have.