Looks like a roo, crows like a roo...

[molly d]

...but is he really a roo?? Pot Pie, my 14-week old BO, appears to be experiencing some gender confusion. I got 2 BOs from the feed store at the same time, along with a BSL and a RSL. Pot Pie developed a comb and wattles much earlier than his sister, at about 5 weeks, and has always been the dominant one of the bunch. He started crowing regularly last week, and is mildly aggressive toward me when I first enter the run each day. However, he is also doing this weird thing in the coop where he starts digging around in the nest box or in other corners of the coop like he's making a nest, and settles in facing the corner with his tail feathers high in the air. The whole time, he's making a low clucking/purring sound. It looks just like all the photos I've seen of hens laying eggs in the nest box. He also doesn't try to mount the other girls, won't call to them if he finds a treat, and generally just doesn't act like what I've read a typical roo should act like (aside from the mild aggression and crowing). Those two things make me think he's a roo, of course, but I wonder if I should wait a bit to rehome him since he, on the off-chance that he is actually a she, isn't of laying age quite yet. Here are a couple of very recent pics so you can see what he looks like:

Is this nest digging thing typical roo behavior? Is my rooster just confused? Is it possible that I actually have a hen, and once she starts laying eggs, her hormones will calm down and she'll stop crowing? So many questions! So much confusion!!

This is my first flock and I really don't know what I'm doing, so any advice will be greatly appreciated. I don't want to get rid of Pot Pie if he is a she, but roosters aren't allowed in city limits here and I don't want to wait too long to rehome him if he is indeed a roo. Thanks in advance for your help!!

Molly

 

[Ms.FuzzyButts]

Looks like a rooster to me.

 

[chicks4kids]

My alpha roo gets in the nest boxes regularly and inspects them.......to the point where I've caught him taking naps in there before....

I think you got yourself a roo there

But my advice is wait til you see it lay an egg or mount a hen, that way there is NO question as to what it is.

 

[SpringChickens]

Definitely a roo!!

I'm not sure about the digging, but he's probably just trying to dust bathe. Maybe someone else can help you with that...

 

[gryeyes]

I think Pot Pie is a rooster. And he sounds like a great one! (Looks good, too.)

My rooster got into nest boxes and checked things out, making those contented sounds, with two different pullets standing by (on two separate occasions, well, that *I* observed, anyway). He was showing them the nest boxes were good places to lay eggs!

 

[Critter Crazed]

If I open up the coop my roo will pop in from the run and see what I'm doing. He'll go right to a corner of the coop and start digging around in the hay and try to give me a piece of hay and do the clucking sound like the "Here's a treat!" call that roos do. Sorta similar? Maybe he's trying to give you hay? My roo tries to give me grass and bugs all the time when they're outside.

 

[molly d]

Quote:
I wish he was that friendly! I've never seen or heard him call to the girls to give them treats, nor does he ever seem to try to give me things (though I wish he would because it sounds super cute!). He usually just snarfs them all himself, and then makes noise afterwards. Maybe he just doesn't have very good manners.

 

[molly d]

Quote:
That's the course of action I'm leaning toward. I really don't want to part with him unless I absolutely have to. Here's hoping my wishful thinking will actually get me somewhere this time!

Quote:
Wow, they're so polite and helpful!

If he is indeed a roo (see above about wishful thinking), I hope he keeps up the sweet behavior toward the girls...that is, if he stays quiet enough for me to keep him under the radar!

Thanks, everybody!!