Possible Rooster?

[ChicadOro]

So after finding an egg yolk that looks like it's fertilized and was 2nd'd here on BYC, we want to see if we do actually have a rooster. We have several chicken laying that we know that are pullet, so we've excluded those, I've either seen them laying or seen them nesting in the nesting boxes. So it narrows it down to our three youngest chickens and one that is not squatting or seems to be nesting (the Black Star/sex link - which maybe isn't and is something else? - We did get this one at Rural King, the other three are from Meyer Hatchery).

The Black Star/Black sex link is 20 weeks old, the Silver Laced Wyandotte, Green Queen, and Blue Copper Maran are all 16 weeks old. We're seeing no mounting, no crowing, nothing. We believed they were all pullets.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

So after finding an egg yolk that looks like it's fertilized and was 2nd'd here on BYC, we want to see if we do actually have a rooster. We have several chicken laying that we know that are pullet, so we've excluded those, I've either seen them laying or seen them nesting in the nesting boxes. So it narrows it down to our three youngest chickens and one that is not squatting or seems to be nesting (the Black Star/sex link - which maybe isn't and is something else? - We did get this one at Rural King, the other three are from Meyer Hatchery).

The Black Star/Black sex link is 20 weeks old, the Silver Laced Wyandotte, Green Queen, and Blue Copper Maran are all 16 weeks old. We're seeing no mounting, no crowing, nothing. We believed they were all pullets.

All birds pictured appear female. Can you get a close-up of the comb and clearer photo of the Wyandotte?

 

[ChicadOro]

All birds pictured appear female. Can you get a close-up of the comb and clearer photo of the Wyandotte?

Let me try, it's getting dark here.

 

[ChicadOro]

Okay, here the Wyandotte is, the one picture is a little blurry, but hopefully this can help.

 

[3KillerBs]

seen them nesting in the nesting boxes.

That doesn't exclude cockerels -- good males will go into the boxes and try to tell the ladies that they've found a good place for the eggs.

So better add photos of the ones who have been in the boxes but haven't been seen laying too.

 

[SourRoses]

Okay, here the Wyandotte is, the one picture is a little blurry, but hopefully this can help.

That's a little bit much in the wattles for a SLW hen. It could just be due to hatchery breeding. The comb also looks strange for a SLW. I would mark this one as suspicious for now.

How do they behave with one another?
I generally have an easier time telling the boys from girls based on their attitudes, but most of those hints are something you have to suss out in person. Hens can be mean to each other but it's generally over food or territory. Cockerels tend to act aggressively when trying to herd the hens or mate with them. With the good guys the girls tend to show reliance on him to do everything first - go into the scary new place, come out from under the bushes after an alert, find the best goodies, and so on.
Not everyone has the spare time, but if you do, some extra time sitting in a lawn chair watching chicken t.v. can help you unmask the sneaky ones.

 

[ChicadOro]

That doesn't exclude cockerels -- good males will go into the boxes and try to tell the ladies that they've found a good place for the eggs.

So better add photos of the ones who have been in the boxes but haven't been seen laying too.

We have two ISA browns that are definitely laying, and beside the black star above, there is another who seems to be laying. I thought I had pictures of both our RIR's but it appears that I only have one of them so, I'll take a few photos of them both tomorrow, but...honestly, they appear to be hens (no saddle feather, no hackle feather, no crowing), too, as one is laying for sure, the other, I'm not 100% sure about - we definitely have 5 laying - and I'm pretty sure that I had a new layer this morning, but didn't see who it was.
I'll try to get photos tomorrow.

 

[ChicadOro]

That's a little bit much in the wattles for a SLW hen. It could just be due to hatchery breeding. The comb also looks strange for a SLW. I would mark this one as suspicious for now.

How do they behave with one another?
I generally have an easier time telling the boys from girls based on their attitudes, but most of those hints are something you have to suss out in person. Hens can be mean to each other but it's generally over food or territory. Cockerels tend to act aggressively when trying to herd the hens or mate with them. With the good guys the girls tend to show reliance on him to do everything first - go into the scary new place, come out from under the bushes after an alert, find the best goodies, and so on.
Not everyone has the spare time, but if you do, some extra time sitting in a lawn chair watching chicken t.v. can help you unmask the sneaky ones.

Okay, we'll keep an eye on that one. The green queen and the wyandotte (and the maran) all are sort of in a subflock, and those two definitely fight for territory, so it wouldn't be surprising if one was a roo, but without seeing any other behavior, it is a little odd, no crowing, not even trying, and I haven't seen any dominate behavior.

 

[3KillerBs]

Pick the suspects off the roost one at a time and look under the other feathers in the saddle area to see if anything pointy is coming through.

 

[ChicadOro]

Pick the suspects off the roost one at a time and look under the other feathers in the saddle area to see if anything pointy is coming through.

Okay, we'll do that tomorrow, it's dark and they are asleep now!