RIR Cockeral or Pullet?

[jimnjay]

I have had RIRs and my Rusty did not lay untill 24 weeks, she had huge wattles and her comb was pretty impressive as well. I orginally named her Penny but since she did not lay and the wattles were so large I figured I had gotten a roo as well. Rusty was a fantastic layer. She laid large eggs from the getgo and laid for 18 months without a break. She went through quick molt and was back at laying within 5 weeks in the dead of winter. A very nice lady who has bought some of my chickens finally talked me out of her recently. She was 3 and still laying 4 eggs a week.

 

[pipermark]

Pulletts

 

[silkiechicken]

You have some very nice girls. Have fun with them! I found that the earlier my birds started laying, the more problems they would have as adults and the shorter time they would lay for.

 

[eichenluft]

my RIR-mix rooster was a hen until he started crowing - I couldn't tell him apart from the hen-chicks in the same group for a very long time. Then he started crowing, THEN he developed more waddle/crest and tail feathers. Someone more experienced than I was probably could have seen he was not a hen earlier, but I couldn't.

molly