Is this 11-week old Leghorn a rooster or a hen?

[nwtim]

We have a leghorn that was born first in a batch of three and has always been the "alpha" of the group. Both our boys have thought they heard "him" crowing but are not certain because it wasn't exactly like a classic cock-a-doodle-doo and they were in the house when they heard it. We also have crows that live in the trees around us and they can be very loud and obnoxious at times, so it's hard to rule out that the boys might've heard that.

Anyway, we're thinking our beautiful/handsome Leghorn Cochin might be a he, but we're just not sure and we're going to have to be away for a week while in-laws stay at our place and take care of them.

What behaviors are dead giveaways if I've never heard him/her crow? Can you tell just by looking at this age (11-weeks)? It seems I've seen pictures on the web of leghorn hens that have just as big a crown as ours, so we're really uncertain.

 

[I-Have-Happy-Hens]

looks like a Rooster

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

From the pictures it has the posture of a female. My males had a much bigger erect comb and tail.

And they didn't start to crow uptill 15 to 16 wks.

 

[crayon]

I do not have leghorns- however this looks like a pullet to me. She doesn't have classic signs of saddle feathers. Her body shape looks hen.

 

[Chris09]

Your Cochin Cross is a Rooster.

Chris

 

[donrae]

That's a rooster. Yes, a full leghorn hen can have a larger comb younger than many breeds, but that's big and red! And the first crowing attempts won't sound classic--often it sounds like something's being strangled lol.

 

[Chicken Boy-17]

i see no droopn' saddle feathers, i have a white leghorn hen that has a bright red comb. It's a girl

 

[kera!]

Absolutely A Rooster My Roo It Took A Long While Until He Got The Tradition Cocka Doodle Doo Out But He Did Ans Yours Will Also But That Is A Boy!

 

[The Turken Lady]

Your leghorn is actually a cochin cross cockerel.

 

[Happy Chooks]

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