RavenEh
In the Brooder
- Jun 9, 2015
- 72
- 2
- 43
Hi Everyone,
I have a bit of a predicament. I got six chicks together, 3 of which turned out to be roosters. As they aged, it was nice to have them all the same age because the roosters were really obvious - and it helped to determine who was, or was most likely, a pullet. Once I was fairly sure who was who, I rehomed all my roosters, and finally had just hens behind. Well, I had one who I thought could still turn out to be a rooster - it was hard to predict because it was a mixed silkie breed - but it acts like a hen so I thought it might end up being one. I just got rid of the head honcho rooster this last weekend.
Anyway, the last couple of days since I got rid of my big, king Rooster I've been hearing a very clear attempt to crow coming from the coop. It doesn't sound like my head honcho's crow, but he crowed early so he had it pretty down pat. This one is more like a strangely squawky crow. I run out to the coop every time I hear it, but everyone is silent and looking innocent in there. Along with the absence of my head honcho rooster there have been some behavioural changes - Harriet, one of my pullets, has started acting very rooster-like (strutting, curious, brave, bossy) while my mixed silkie breed that I'm still not positive on, Stark, is still acting very hen-like.
Could it be that Harriet is really a Harry? Or could she just be acting like that because she's bossy (do hens even do that?)? Could she be a hen that crows or is there really a rooster in there? And could Stark still be a rooster even if he's very shy, crouches, quiet, and not at all brave or cocky.
I want to add that while Harriet's comb is pink, so are all my pullets so I don't know if the pink always defines who is a boy or girl. Right now, at 12 weeks old, she has a single pea comb that is slightly developed, no wattles to speak of, and struts around like king of the castle while Stark - who has a small but visible crown and huge hanging wattles - crouches, hides, and is very shy. My roosters of the same age had huge crowns when they went to a new home this weekend, and these two have nothing on those crowns.
Very strange behavior, especially considering I thought for sure Harriet was a girl. See below a pic from a few weeks ago of the two - Harriet is the speckled, nosy bird eyeing the cam in a very rooster like way (I had an EE rooster who developed WAY faster than Harriet, so I thought she was surely a girl). Stark is behind Harriet (all black) and now has long, dangling wattles like hoop earrings. Any thoughts would be appreciated...is it normal for hens to act like roosters or do I have it all wrong?
I have a bit of a predicament. I got six chicks together, 3 of which turned out to be roosters. As they aged, it was nice to have them all the same age because the roosters were really obvious - and it helped to determine who was, or was most likely, a pullet. Once I was fairly sure who was who, I rehomed all my roosters, and finally had just hens behind. Well, I had one who I thought could still turn out to be a rooster - it was hard to predict because it was a mixed silkie breed - but it acts like a hen so I thought it might end up being one. I just got rid of the head honcho rooster this last weekend.
Anyway, the last couple of days since I got rid of my big, king Rooster I've been hearing a very clear attempt to crow coming from the coop. It doesn't sound like my head honcho's crow, but he crowed early so he had it pretty down pat. This one is more like a strangely squawky crow. I run out to the coop every time I hear it, but everyone is silent and looking innocent in there. Along with the absence of my head honcho rooster there have been some behavioural changes - Harriet, one of my pullets, has started acting very rooster-like (strutting, curious, brave, bossy) while my mixed silkie breed that I'm still not positive on, Stark, is still acting very hen-like.
Could it be that Harriet is really a Harry? Or could she just be acting like that because she's bossy (do hens even do that?)? Could she be a hen that crows or is there really a rooster in there? And could Stark still be a rooster even if he's very shy, crouches, quiet, and not at all brave or cocky.
I want to add that while Harriet's comb is pink, so are all my pullets so I don't know if the pink always defines who is a boy or girl. Right now, at 12 weeks old, she has a single pea comb that is slightly developed, no wattles to speak of, and struts around like king of the castle while Stark - who has a small but visible crown and huge hanging wattles - crouches, hides, and is very shy. My roosters of the same age had huge crowns when they went to a new home this weekend, and these two have nothing on those crowns.
Very strange behavior, especially considering I thought for sure Harriet was a girl. See below a pic from a few weeks ago of the two - Harriet is the speckled, nosy bird eyeing the cam in a very rooster like way (I had an EE rooster who developed WAY faster than Harriet, so I thought she was surely a girl). Stark is behind Harriet (all black) and now has long, dangling wattles like hoop earrings. Any thoughts would be appreciated...is it normal for hens to act like roosters or do I have it all wrong?
