Mean Girls: Chicken Edition

[aart]

That’s true. It’s just frustrating. I want so badly to be a good chicken Keeper and I don’t feel like I am since I can’t even tell the difference between a boy and a girl.

Bah, stop that...takes time and experience.....plus I think Orps are harder to tell, maybe because they are not 'hard feathered'?

 

[Morrigan]

I'm not 100% sure on that being a rooster -- I'm more 60-40 on it. When I first bought chickens, I was convinced that some of my orpington's were roosters because they had some heavy, droopy rear feathering and developed fairly good combs (well that, and I had ordered a non-sexed run of chicks), but all 8 turned out to be egg-laying hens. My young roosters all seem to get this lanky, big-legged look that I'm not seeing here.

 

[venymae]

That’s true. It’s just frustrating. I want so badly to be a good chicken Mama and I don’t feel like I am since I can’t even tell the difference between a boy and a girl.

I think one of the most asked questions on this websight is "Is my chicken a boy or girl?" so don't feel bad at all! And you can't really tell when they are little so...

 

[Granny Hatchet]

So does everyone still say rooster ?

 

[Chickassan]

I'm still going with roo,even if the feathers didn't tell the posture does. Either way girl has some beautiful birds.

 

[Morrigan]

Only one way to know 100% -- if it's seven months old, it will either be crowing or laying shortly. I would have actually expected it to be crowing already if it was a cockerel. The new living quarters may have thrown it off its game, however.

 

[MillersFarm]

View attachment 1170392 View attachment 1170393 View attachment 1170394 As promised, here are some other views of the babies. Sorry they’re a day late, work was absolutely insane yesterday and my husband took care of the girls for me.

100% 2 mature (Ready to lay) Hens right there. I see no signs of a cockerel what-so-ever!

 

[rgmarch_]

Only one way to know 100% -- if it's seven months old, it will either be crowing or laying shortly. I would have actually expected it to be crowing already if it was a cockerel. The new living quarters may have thrown it off its game, however.

That’s exactly what I thought. They were 5 when we got them, they lived in their own little area, away from the others for about a month, then we put everyone together. I figured by now, it would crow if it was a boy. My RIR roo crowed from what seems like the second we brought him home at two weeks!

 

[rgmarch_]

100% 2 mature (Ready to lay) Hens right there. I see no signs of a cockerel what-so-ever!

Fingers crossed! I like the way you think!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I no longer see a rooster, I see two hens.