I have two Rhode Island Red chickens, 22 weeks old. One recently started laying, after showing signs she was about to for a couple weeks. Around the time the one started squatting, I noticed that the other one had hackle feathers! This was at 20 weeks, and I never noticed any other difference between the two before; in fact, I couldn't even tell them apart until then.
The laying hen has a bigger comb than the RIR with hackle feathers, and is larger over all. But the one with hackle feathers is looking longer and leaner and rooish. S/He's not crowing, and not acting aggressive or watchful, though s/he is maybe a bit more energetic than the other chickens. Maybe.
Here's my question: is it possible for a rooster to go incognito for 20 weeks? Have you ever heard of this happening? My for-sure rooster, a BO, was clearly male from 7 weeks and was crowing at 14. This one looked *identical* to a known hen until just recently.
I don't have any pics at the moment, but believe me: there's just a bit of hackling and maybe some curling tail feathers to distinguish him from his/her sister. A smaller comb and wattle, too!
The laying hen has a bigger comb than the RIR with hackle feathers, and is larger over all. But the one with hackle feathers is looking longer and leaner and rooish. S/He's not crowing, and not acting aggressive or watchful, though s/he is maybe a bit more energetic than the other chickens. Maybe.
Here's my question: is it possible for a rooster to go incognito for 20 weeks? Have you ever heard of this happening? My for-sure rooster, a BO, was clearly male from 7 weeks and was crowing at 14. This one looked *identical* to a known hen until just recently.
I don't have any pics at the moment, but believe me: there's just a bit of hackling and maybe some curling tail feathers to distinguish him from his/her sister. A smaller comb and wattle, too!
