Pullet acting like a rooster

[staceyl]

I wasn't getting any love on the chicken behavior category, so I figured I'd see what you guys think. I didn't get pics, because I'm quite sure that you would look at pics and say pullet.

I have 3 pullets and one rooster - all about 17 weeks old. I'm 99% sure that the 3 are really females, but one of them is acting like a rooster - when I let them out to range she and rooster compete to be the leader and I've seen them chest bump. She even makes a noise that sounds exactly like my roosters attempts at crowing. Is this normal? Is it because my rooster is still immature and hasn't asserted himself? Or do I have yet another unwanted rooster (please no). She definitely doesn't LOOK like a rooster. Maybe she's a feminist?

And somewhat related - when is pecking order really sorted out. I swear this same chicken was getting picked on 2 weeks ago and now she seems to be the boss.

 

[gritsar]

Pics, would certainly help, but I'm betting you have a second rooster.

My subordinate rooster made himself very inconspicuous and tried his best to look and act like a hen until I got rid of the alpha. I knew the sub. was a rooster, but he sure didn't act like it until he was the only roo.
It's self preservation at its best. Keeps them from getting their butt kicked by the alpha.

 

[staceyl]

gritstar,
But its the opposite, LOOKS like a pullet, acts like a roo. Definitely not trying to make herself inconspicous.

 

[horsejody]

Quote:
It could be a late bloomer.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
If she is not a he, then I'd say she's going to be your top hen. The pecking order is usually settled early. It can be up and in good running order by 6 to 8 weeks.
If she is a hen, then she'll probably continue to challenge your rooster until he matures a bit more and gets her under his firm control.
Get some pics when you can. Good luck to you.

 

[staceyl]

Hmm, I'll try to get pics tonight, but I'm thinking not late bloomer because she is HUGE and absolutely no sign of roo-like saddle or wing feathes. Her comb and wattles are miniscule and she has that fat horizontal look - not like my standing tall rooster.

I would actually really like it if she becomes top hen, because she is my buff orpinton. I hear they get broody and I'm thinking if I'm stuck with this other rooster I may as well use him for the only thing he is good for - and the top hen would be more likely to defend her babies when they hatch. I was hoping to be able to let nature take its course rather than have to seperate her and re-introduce chicks later.

Thanks.
Stacey

 

[unaspenser]

I have experienced this several times. The first time it was with an Ameraucana Cochin cross I had last summer, and it did turn out to be a stealth rooster that was simply a late bloomer. There are some cases of gender-switching in chickens, but in that case, it wasn't that complicated. This summer I got four chicks and one of them turned out to be a cockerel. At about 8-10 weeks he started acting really roostery and we had to get rid of him due to the noise. That was a couple weeks ago, and since he's left one of my pullets has taken up crowing in the morning and acting dominant... she's even showing some longer tail feathers, but since she's a red sex link I know she's a gal. One of my older hens (in a seperate coop from the youngsters so she could hear but not see the cockerel) crowed for a couple days after he left, but has since settled down.

I think pics would be helpful, but whether you've got a feminist of a stealth male on your hands, good luck!

 

[staceyl]

Okay, here she is. What do you think? I've definitely heard of chickens acting like roosters when there is no rooster, but there IS a rooster. And I would think by 17 weeks a rooster would look like a rooster. No?

 

[staceyl]

Either I've stumped everyone, or offended them.

 

[jayde88]

He/she certainly does look hen-like. But the behaviour does sound very rooster-like...
Sometimes hens do act agressive and rooster-like, especially if your rooster is not very confident. But he/she also could be a late developing rooster. What breed is he/she?