Is this what I think it is?!?!?

[chicknjane]

Quote:
The mark may not be as prominent, but it would be there. Most of the eggs I get have that faint mark and I usually get mine while they are still warm.

There was a really good thread on there that showed pics of fertilized eggs. That's how I knew what to look for.

 

[wordgirl]

Here is speckledhen's 'How to tell' thread with photos:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=16008&p=1

 

[chickensioux]

I have a 6 month old roo that is quiet. He crows every now and then. Definately not every day and only once or twice when he does. I hope he continues to be this quiet. He is mating with the hens but just quiet about it. He's such a gentleman.....

 

[Chicksdigit]

Well if he crows too loudly or too much both he and the fertile eggs are edible.

 

[juliawitt]

You can eat fertile eggs!! They don't taste any different, there isn't anything wrong with them. Sometimes it is good to have a rooster. I wouldn't give it a second thought until you have aggression.

 

[wyo-helpmeet]

When you live in city limits, in a n'hood, it's a whole different story. I'd love to have a roo

 

[catdaddyfro]

Quote:
No I have a 7mo. old BR roo he's been breeding for 2 mos. now and has yet to crow. I joke and say he's running incognito, he's knows what's good for him.

And yes that is a pic. of a fertilized egg and they are perfectly good to eat, in fact there are some claims that a fertile egg is even better cholesterol-wise. Might look that up, it's pretty interesting stuff. Right off, I can't remember where I read that, if I find it I'll try to post it.

 

[mags2009]

We just opened an egg (one of our first) that was soft-shelled, and it had that mark, and I think now that one might be a roo. I know this might sound stupid, but what are the "saddle feathers" so I can tell?

 

[mypicklebird]

Roosters will develop hackles and saddles- feathers that are longer and pointy at the nape of their necks and back. Also the tail feathers will be a big give-away when he is older. (longer and more pointy- as well as more colorful). The roosters are usually more colorful in general. Larger comb and wattles when compared to hens of the same breed. It will be much more obvious as he gets older. Some breeds are harder than others like silkies and cochins....
If you post a photo(s) of your birds- close enough to see their feathers, people can pick out the cockerel/rooster for you.



Quote:

 

[mags2009]

Here are some pics of who I think might be a rooster: I think it is either one of the barred rocks, or one of the buff orpingtons, as out of 7 chickens, three are laying: The red star, and the two white rocks. The others are 2 barred rocks, and two buffs. One buff (that I thought might be a roo because of really big comb and wattles, does the "squat" so I know isn't a roo, and one of the rocks does the squat also. These are the two that are not doing the egg squat:

Can you tell by these pics if either is a roo? I haven't heard a crow at all. I just saw something in that soft shelled egg that looked like the bullseye.