Possible roo?

[miabyrer]

I don't know if this is the right section to post in but here goes... How do you know if you accidentally got a roo in with your pullets? How old are they when you can see a difference? My four week old chicks are doing just fine but I have noticed that one is a bit bigger than the rest and a little more aggressive. She (he?) is my little trouble making. I wouldn't mind having a roo but I just want to. Thanks to anyone that can help.

 

[Knittycat]

I figured out my roos were roos when everybody started getting tail feathers, and they didn't. Aggression is common even among pullets. They're figuring out the pecking order.

 

[elabraleon]

you could post a picture or two in the "What breed or gender is this" section. Lots of people with good insight here.

 

[azygous]

That age between four weeks and eight weeks is fraught with anxiety, waiting to see how many "accidental" roos you're going to end up with.

By six weeks, the boys will be feathering out far more vividly than the girls. Their combs will be bright red compared to the girls' drab, pinkish combs. And the boys' legs will be a bit thicker and longer than the girls, and their feet a bit larger. They may be engaging in chest-butting and other aggressive behavior.

If you have a suspect with most or all of the above, it's likely you have a cockerel.

 

[ChicksOnBikes]

we ordered 12 girls. Turns out, we got 1 rooster! Elliott (formerly Ella) is still our nicest chicken. I was not thinking I HAD a rooster, so I wasn't looking for it. Sure, Ella was a little bigger than the others, but s/he was the nicest too, and we had a bit of a size range with 3 breeds of chickens.
Around 2-3mos, "Ella" started making more noise than the others. Not crowing, just chicken noises. I started to suspect something. As the tail feathers came in, and the noises moved towards something like a crow, it became obvious. There was a difference in his comb, but he's an Easter Egger, and the girls are pretty variable anyway.
So, Ella was renamed Elliott, and he's a great addition to the flock. He spends a lot of time prancing and patrolling the perimeter. He's hilarious. You just might enjoy your rooster!