Rooster still hasn't crowed almost 12 weeks old now

[danimajor1988]

Hi, my question concerns my Rooster, he is almost 12 weeks old and hasn't crowed yet... Like at all. Nothing but normal chicken noises so far. He was supposed to be a hen and I've heard that some chickens who look like roosters surprise people and start laying eggs. I'm hoping that's the case. Has anyone had this happen to them?? Or what's the latest they start crowing? He is the only roo out of 8 birds and my first flock. So maybe he doesn't know he can crow because he hasn't seen the other birds doin it. If he doesn't crow, he can stay, maybe he knows that haha. He does express normal rooster chest bumping and is the top of pecking order. He was the shyest and most skittish but is complete opposite now. He hasn't tried to attack my kids or myself yet either, no nasty roo behaviors so far. He definitely looks like a Roo right?

 

[KingD]

I think it's a hen

@Overo Mare

 

[Painted Calls]

100% cockerel.

Do you have any other cockerels/roosters that are crowing?

 

[danimajor1988]

100% cockerel.

Do you have any other cockerels/roosters that are crowing?

No, none. He's with my first set of laying hens. He was sexed as female but appears to be a roo haha. I'll have to re-home him when he starts crowing. I've just been expecting it to happen and I'm holding out in off chance he starts laying eggs.

 

[danimajor1988]

I think it's a hen

@Overo Mare

I really hope that's the case haha. I'll hate to see him go, he is really tame for what I hear about roosters, so that's why I'm wondering.

 

[KingD]

I really hope that's the case haha. I'll hate to see him go, he is really tame for what I hear about roosters, so that's why I'm wondering.

Well I think Overo is correct. She's the Guru of Chicken sexing.
Good luck with him/her anyway.

 

[Painted Calls]

I really hope that's the case haha. I'll hate to see him go, he is really tame for what I hear about roosters, so that's why I'm wondering.

He is young. Most cockerels are sweet as pie until hormones kick in. He will not give you any eggs. Best to search for a home now as it can be difficult to rehome a cockerel sometimes.

 

[ChickenWhisperer101]

I agree with @Overo Mare.

 

[SirTeletoll]

With most breeds of chickens the roosters have a different kind of feather that develops pretty early on. It's the one near the beginning of the tail. In hens it just continues to grow towards the end of the tail, but in roosters it hangs down, like it's heavy or not very strong. (Sorry for the weird explanation, my native language isn't English) The feathers in most species develop even before they start making rooster noises. Based on the pictures it looks like a hen to me, but you kind of cut the tail off. It's also hard to explain, but if you look at the faces of chickens you can tell the gender even in early age, but there are some weirdos always.

 

[Painted Calls]

With most breeds of chickens the roosters have a different kind of feather that develops pretty early on. It's the one near the beginning of the tail. In hens it just continues to grow towards the end of the tail, but in roosters it hangs down, like it's heavy or not very strong. (Sorry for the weird explanation, my native language isn't English) The feathers in most species develop even before they start making rooster noises. Based on the pictures it looks like a hen to me, but you kind of cut the tail off. It's also hard to explain, but if you look at the faces of chickens you can tell the gender even in early age, but there are some weirdos always.

That bird is only 12 weeks old. A pullet wouldn't have that much comb and wattles development until she's laying eggs around 20+ weeks old.