Is this one a roo????

[themichigander]

i need to know if one of our family chickens is a rooster.we live in a the city in southwest michigan and the city ordinance for keeping chickens doesn't allow roosters. I bought 5 pullets from tractor supply,2 rhode Island reds, 2 new hampshire, and one that seems to be a hybrid of both. At 7 weeks old i can already tell that one of the rhode island reds might be a rooster. its bossying the others around, it a little larger than the others and its comb is bigger and redder than the others.aslo if he is a rooster what should i do with him? should i give him to a farm? is it too late to give it back to TS? if we do get rid of him my family has decided to get 2 more chickens to fill his place. i can only get 2 because its the maximum amount of chickens our city allows. should i get newborns or older hens around 7 or 8 weeks old? here are some pictures of the flock and the alleged rooster.







The top one in this picture is the hybrid

Please help i need to know before he starts crowing and waking up our neighbors.




~edited to remove personal information

 

[wildcat chix]

Looks like you have a roo - his wattles are a lot bigger than the rest, and his saddle feathers are coming in too. Good luck finding him a home

 

[Nicole01]

Oh you bet that's a boy. So sorry.

 

[RedDrgn]

Yep, looks like you've got a cockerel.

TSC will not take him back. If you have any local farms that raise chickens, see about contacting them. You could also put him up on PetFinder or Craigslist. Just keep in mind that if you're looking for a home that will add him to a flock for a permanent position rather than eat him, that it'll be much harder to find him a new home. So talk to your parents and get the search started now, before he crows and upsets the neighbors.

If you'll be replacing him with two additional birds, you'd probably do best to find pullets that are about the same size/age as what you've got. It'll make integration easier on them. If you go with chicks, you'll have to keep them completely separate from the rest of the flock until they're all of a similar size, because there's always pecking and uproar when adding new birds to a flock.

 

[CarolJ]

We got our favorite rooster when we bought 4 "pullets" from a hatchery. It happens - no matter how good they are at sexing baby chicks. The trouble with roosters is that most people want chickens for the eggs - and roosters aren't needed for that. Plus, that crow - usually loudly and often. I've had luck selling extra roos on Craigslist. Good luck!

 

[themichigander]

thanks for all of your comments. but i have another question for RedDrgn. Where would i find 2 pullets of the same size and age? on craigslist or at a local farm????

 

[teeville5]

Yes, he's definitely a roo. I would try to find a local farm, if you could.

 

[BlueCamas]

Looks like a Production Red cockerel!

 

[donrae]

thanks for all of your comments. but i have another question for RedDrgn. Where would i find 2 pullets of the same size and age? on craigslist or at a local farm????

Look on craigslist or your feed store, those are great places. If you know of someone who raises chickens, see if they have a few they're willing to get rid of.

 

[themichigander]

ok thanks I'll try a local farm