Roo or Hen? Help Please...

[pimachickens]

I am very new to this...only been a chicken owner for a month. I thought that we bought two hens...an australorp and a Barred PR. The last two days the PR has been making some noises that isn't exactly crowing, but then again they are only 7 mos old. Could this be a young rooster? I hope the pictures are ok. Thanks for the help.

 

[Firearia]

Sorry but the chicken pictures aren't showing up! Try this: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=504

Oh and

I'm not quite sure about the crowing, I know two of my orps had a perfect crow at around 4 months. However I have another rooster that's 6-7 months and still hasn't crowed. I think it really depends on the chicken. Also, it could be their voices turning more ladylike.

 

[pimachickens]

Thanks...I think I fixed the pictures. The sound is like a long drawn out CAW like from a blackbird.

 

[Firearia]

Yep, you fixed them! However I can't quite get a peek at their tail feathers in those photos, if you can pictures with out mesh in front of them would help.

 

[Beth G.]

If your barred rock is indeed 7-8 months old it is a hen not a roo. One of my barred rock hens makes weird cackling noises every now and then too. Are you getting any eggs?

 

[pimachickens]

Are these better? If not I can try to recruit help to keep her (him?) still. And no, I have not gotten any eggs yet. Thanks again!

 

[True Grit]

Hi from MN and. I'm guessing it is a hen but you should have eggs by now. OMG if I have to wait for another 3 months I will seriously freeeeaak out!

What do you feed em?

 

[Lbrad7]

If you are correct on the birds age I believe you have a hen but I can tell you one thing...its not a Barred Rock. Barred Rocks have predominatly yellow legs with dark grey highlights. Your birds legs appear to be solid black. There are quite a few birds that have that time of barring. You might want to dig through a few sites that have breed descriptions to figure out what you have or some of the more knowlegable people on this site may be able to help. It looks a bit like a cuckoo Marans but again the leg color is wrong. More than likely its a mixed breed.

 

[rooster lover 119]

definitely a roo he has a big comb waddles and curved tail feathers. he is a very beautiful one too! i have 2 barred rocks and they are the same age and they don't have big combs or waddles and don't have curved tail feathers (they are both hens).

 

[Firearia]

Quote:
I agree here, because of the tail feathers. However I could be wrong as I'm not an expert on BRs.