Please explain roosters ...

[HenneePennee]

I hatched some buff orpingtons. It looks like 2 of them are roosters, but only one is taking on the role of rooster. He crows and services the ladies. They are 9 or 10 months old. The other looks exactly like a rooster, but does not exhibit any rooster behavior. Long streamers around the neck, beautiful tail feathers that curl, bright red comb and waddles, body shape is more upright. Is he just not the "alpha rooster" or is he a she?

Thanks so much for your input.
Amanda

 

[gryeyes]

You tagged it just right, I bet. He's not the Alpha roo.

Of course, without pictures, I couldn't equivocally state your Orp is a cockerel. Or not.

Would it be good or bad if s/he was a boy?

 

[galanie]

Yep, he's just not the Alpha. I had an orp boy that never crowed, never seemed to show any interest whatsoever to the girls or anything. I had an older roo that was Alpha. Then the young one went to a new home where he was the only rooster. Let me tell you, this was a real rooster! I was shocked to hear he'd covered everything there in the first day. Your boy is a boy, he's just not allowed by the other to act on his, um, urges. Or crow.