Rooster?

[Whittni]

When in doubt, go ahead and sell or swap for a laying hen or something.

 

[smarsh2]

how old is this bird? I have seen hens with curled tail feathers, not much of a comb for a rooster showing rooster like tail feathers. I am guessing a pullet. The feet don't look large enough and the over all body shape looks female. But it wouldn't be the first time was mistaken about a very female form

 

[ChickenerMan]

3 months old

 

[Tricoglossus]

I'm not convinced it's a rooster. Can't see pointy saddle feathers or hackle feathers in those photos. Also it would help to see the bird's comb. When they start to crow they don't usually go full throttle straight away, mine have always had half-hearted attempts for the first week or so, and unless you know what a young rooster's crow is like most non-chicken people wouldn't even associate the noise with a rooster. I would wait until you see clear evidence - be it pointy hackle and saddle feathers, large red comb, or crowing. BTW I live in the city and I have a rooster. There are ways to keep them.

 

[ChickenerMan]

Hi Tricoglossus
How do you keep your rooster~does your city council allow them or something? I would love to know as I'm keen to breed but are unsure who would de-crow roosters and don't want to annoy the neighbours

 

[Tricoglossus]

Hi Tricoglossus
How do you keep your rooster~does your city council allow them or something? I would love to know as I'm keen to breed but are unsure who would de-crow roosters and don't want to annoy the neighbours

I live in the city and roosters are not allowed. There are no vets in Australia that perform de-crowing, and besides this, the procedure is not taught to student vets, or any vets here, and I can't think of any vets in Australia that have ever performed the surgery. So that is not an option.

This is what I do:

My rooster wears a rooster collar, which is a piece of fabric and velcro which is just tight enough to stop the crows being so loud. I got it here https://www.facebook.com/RoosterCollars
The collar does not impact on his quality of life in any way - he does everything that a normal rooster does - eats, mates, runs around, finds treats for the girls, warns them of danger.
Apart from that, I bring him in to the laundry at night, and he goes out in the morning between 7-8am. He crows quite a lot during the day, but the crows are much quieter due to the collar. I've had him for nearly a year, and he's been crowing since last December, and none of the neighbours have said anything about him. He is a happy rooster, he is a Silkie, very soft and good to the girls and to me. No aggression at all. It's lovely to have a rooster in the flock!

 

[ChickenerMan]

Thanks guys I took HER to the local club and they said she is a pullet

 

[Tricoglossus]

Thanks guys I took HER to the local club and they said she is a pullet

Well that's good news. Do you have any up to date photos? I'd like to see how the tail looks now.

 

[ChickenerMan]