Not sure about my frizzle anymore...

[sagealbright]

I have had a cochin frizzle "pullet" named Boots since July. At first we were sure she was actually a she but now her behavior is making me question whether or not she is actually a roo.

By this point she should be laying like my other girls who are her age, however, I've never caught her in the nest box and I've only ever found one of her feathers in there.

She has also become very mean. Her and my Barnevelder flare their hackles at each other and then Boots grabs a hold of my Barnevelders comb and pulls it.

Boots is also always hanging out with my roo, they don't do anything without each other. I find it weird that be roo will mount all the other hens but has never tried to mount her.

The breeder we got her from owns her mother. He said that she has the same attitude as Boots and that she also bullies all the other hens. She also looks like her mother except with larger wattles.

I'm really hoping Boots turns out to be a hen. I don't want to have to get rid of her.

 

[sagealbright]

bump

 

[Lady of McCamley]

If I followed your story...is Boots a 5 month old bantam Cochin Frizzle?

I could be wrong, but I think Boots is a roo. That's a lot of comb and wattle for a bantam Cochin pullet of that age. EDITED TO ADD: of any age...I think you have a roo.

My 4 to 5 month old bantam Cochin pullets have no where near that much comb/wattle.

Could explain the behavior. Although some pullets before they come into lay can be very snotty as they try to work their way up the pecking order, and they don't squat or seek attention from the rooster until they are ready to lay....

but that's a lot of comb and wattle.

Lady of McCamley

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Here are my bantam Cochin pullets at 4 months...they pretty much look the same as they are entering 5 months.
Lady of McCamley

 

[sagealbright]

Yes, Boots would be about 8 months since she was two months old when I picked her up in July.

Up until a month ago her comb and wattles were much smaller. Now they are huge!


These are pictures of Boots between 1-2 months ago. As you can see her wattles were MUCH smaller in comparison to how are they are in the previous pictures I took today.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

While smaller, they still look bigger than a pullets at that age...I still think roo. Late developing roo. Sorry.
Lady of McCamley

 

[BantamLover21]

Looks like a cockerel to me.

 

[Wyandottes7]

I agree, it looks like a male.

 

[sagealbright]

Thanks everyone I guess as long as she/he is getting along well with my silkie roo and the girls it can stay.


Can anyone explain why she would be flaring her hackles at my girls then, it looks almost like she's "challenging" them, and they flare theirs right back at her?
Or why he/she would be grabbing the hen's combs and pulling them?

 

[donrae]

Rooster. The red patches on the wings are a giveaway.

He's likely maturing sexually and the hens are having none of it, that's why the hackle flaring. The comb grabbing is probably misplaced mating attempts.