Pullet or Roo?

[5SweetChicks]

I have a 5 month old black sex link/black star. For as long as I have had it I believed it was a rooster. He took longer to feather out than the girls and he has always had a shorter tail. But I've found him making the same noises as my hens and today I found him sitting on eggs! I think he may have this behaviour since he grew up with all girls and our older rooster. Tell me what you think.

The first one is from a few weeks ago and the rest are from today.

 

[5SweetChicks]

 

[enola]

Black sex link Roosters are black/white barred, only the hens are black.

 

[Wyandottes7]

I think that "it" is a pullet. I don't see any pointy feathers, and the comb is not too large for a five month old pullet. I'm not sure that she is a Black Star, though, as I don't see any red streaking on her breast (not all Black Stars have this, but most do). Its possible that she is an Australorp instead.

 

[donrae]

That is a hen.

 

[BantamLover21]

Pretty little pullet. Doesn't really look like a Black Sex-link, though, as I don't see any red on the breast and/or neck. She looks more like an Australorp, or possibly a Black Jersey Giant.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I agree hen definitely.

I don't think she is a true Australorp or Black Sex Link or Jersey Giant...her legs are yellow (at least top left photo in first post shows that)...and those breeds usually have slate legs.

She could be a mix or a production hatchery bred bird as those don't follow true breed standards.

Pretty bird, and I bet will be a good layer.

Lady of McCamley

 

[5SweetChicks]

See the only reason why I think he is a he is because he feathered way way slower than all the other ones, which are all girls. And his pair (same age and breed) is a girl and already laying. Also I'm not sure if you can tell but his hackle feathers are pointy a bit, more pointed than my hens. I'm sort of half and half on this one and I'm thinking only time will tell!

 

[JenifferHartman]

That's a hen

 

[theoldchick]

5 months? By that time you'll notice roosterly behavior, crowing and so forth. Some hens will have pointy feathers on the neck but they lack the length of true hackle feathers.

5 month JG pullet





5 month Cockerel






This group is 5 months




This is what I call a manly hen. At seven months she had rather large wattles and comb, but she did not crow or mount other hens.