New to the forum. With a possible dilemma

[shaunmac]

Here's a few more pics

Thanks
Shaun

 

[shaunmac]

Waiting for pics to be moderated before they'll post. Not sure how long that will take

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Would also vote she is a hen, looks like a typical red sex link, Warrens are rsl's aren't they, so if she is a true Warren she has to be female.

 

[roostersandhens]

 

[gander007]

Alright

great to have you joining the BYC flock

Outstanding coop and run

BYC has a very useful learning center

 

[shaunmac]

Thanks for saying hi everyone. Nice to be made welcome

Anyone else got any ideas on the sex of my warren?

 

[TwoCrows]

I am still not seeing any roo there. My vote is still pullet/hen!

 

[chooks4life]

Thanks for the pics, Shaun. The feathering's a little odd, i.e strong/raised vane making differing light reflections on either side of each feather, but nothing definitively male. At least, I didn't see any male feathers, but at the age of that bird you should be seeing very definite male feathering, in fact the bird should be completely feathered out as an adult male --- if it was actually a male.

Some birds have hormone issues, imbalances, infertility etc, so there's a chance it's a severely underdeveloped male, but I reckon chances are greater that 'he' will start laying you eggs soon.

High-production layers in Australia like Isabrowns, Leghorns, Australorps etc are, in my experience, likelier to have female individuals among them that have higher levels of male hormones than females of other breeds, and they're more likely to grow proper spurs, mate with other hens, and crow, all while being very productive layers, and fertile.

Glossy feathers are normal to healthy birds, not just males, so its fairly shiny feathers don't prove anything beyond the fact that it's obviously had a reasonably decent level of oils (etc) in its diet. Some people think shiny feathering or a sheen on the feathers is strictly a male trait, as some books will tell you, but it's actually just health-related in the vast majority of all cases. (I can only think of one or two breeds known for dull/rough feathering, which one could also argue is still health-related even though it's now genetic rather than dietary in origin, in those cases).

Best wishes.