Rooster or Hen?

[Mahbroshay]

I hatched this chick 7 months ago. It is a barnyard mix. I can’t tell if it’s a rooster or hen? It hasn’t started crowing or laying. It stands upright like a rooster and has bright red comb and wattles, but that could also mean it’s getting ready to lay. The tail feathers are rounded but also resemble a rooster tail when it’s maturing. I don’t see any hackle or saddle feathers. The picture does look like it though, but I think it was just the camera.

 

[Skyle]

He has pointy saddle feathers, cockerel

 

[mufflerchick]

I would have to agree that this is a young roo. Watch how it interacts with your hens....does he try to herd them, or mount them?? That would be a dead give-a-way.

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

Yep. That is 100% a cockerel.

 

[NatureGirl74]

Cockerel

 

[Frazzemrat1]

All those male specific saddle feathers say cockerel!

 

[23kthistlethwaite]

Definitely a boy. Look at the feathers on his chest and how round they are. All of his feathers would look like that If he was a hen but you can see how pointy his saddle and hackle feathers are

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Definitely a boy. Look at the feathers on his chest and how round they are. All of his feathers would look like that If he was a hen but you can see how pointy his saddle and hackle feathers are

I think you have that backwards... Males have the pointed saddles, females don't. And the chest feathers have very little to do with gender.

 

[23kthistlethwaite]

I think you have that backwards... Males have the pointed saddles, females don't. And the chest feathers have very little to do with gender.

I was just using the chest feathers as an example of rounded feathers and that his saddle feather would be round as well if he was a hen, but that you can see in the picture that his saddles are pointy not round. Sorry for the confusion

 

[Mahbroshay]

Thank you guys! That’s what we thought but the tail didn’t look super mature yet.