she might be a roo 😭

[calichooks]

so, my baby Salami is the sweetest little thing. earlier someone helped identify her as a speckled sussex and i was thrilled to have a hen of that breed in the flock when something happened... she was laying on top of me while i was laying down. she stood up straight and chirped, and then curved her neck and let out the most heartbreaking noise- a baby chick crowing. i know some hens crow. i got her from a pack of 10 female chicks from tractor supply and she’s the only of her kind, the other nine are sex link. it’d break my heart if she was the one mis-sexed one, so does anyone have any stories of chicks crowing that turned out to be pullets? i know hens can but not sure this young, she’s a few days old and curious and tame. i couldn’t for the life of me get her to crow again on video but it sounds just like the ones on youtube.

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

How old is he/she????? It looks too young at this point to identify the gender. Usually around 6 weeks you will be able to tell most breeds.

 

[calichooks]

How old is he/she????? It looks too young at this point to identify the gender. Usually around 6 weeks you will be able to tell most breeds.

she’s only a few days old but the crowing definitely threw me for a loop! she’s definitely too young to know for sure physically but she’s very bold and curious & stands tall and i’ve heard that’s rooster behavior, but i’m hoping she’s just an assertive little girl. the whole crowing thing is what i’m worried about, because i’m wondering if that’s a deal-sealer that she’s a male (

 

[elisabeth_]

I hate to tell this story and get your hopes down, but my little silkie rooster did the same thing.
He always stood very tall as a chick, with his chest all puffed out. He was nearly twice the size of my female silkies, and I heard something that I was sure was an attempted crow out of him when he was about a week old (couldn’t get him to do it again lol). I had forgot about it until just now.
Sure enough, he’s my little rooster, a little over a year old now.

Don’t give up hope though!! You could still have a hen that just made a weird noise

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
I hope it's a pullet too, but suspect that you do have a cockerel. Sorry...
Mary

 

[elisabeth_]

I hate to tell this story and get your hopes down, but my little silkie rooster did the same thing.
He always stood very tall as a chick, with his chest all puffed out. He was nearly twice the size of my female silkies, and I heard something that I was sure was an attempted crow out of him when he was about a week old (couldn’t get him to do it again lol). I had forgot about it until just now.
Sure enough, he’s my little rooster, a little over a year old now.

Don’t give up hope though!! You could still have a hen that just made a weird noise

Here’s a pic I just found of him at about two weeks. Clearly bigger than my girls, and with an attitude.

 

[calichooks]

I hate to tell this story and get your hopes down, but my little silkie rooster did the same thing.
He always stood very tall as a chick, with his chest all puffed out. He was nearly twice the size of my female silkies, and I heard something that I was sure was an attempted crow out of him when he was about a week old (couldn’t get him to do it again lol). I had forgot about it until just now.
Sure enough, he’s my little rooster, a little over a year old now.

Don’t give up hope though!! You could still have a hen that just made a weird noise

thanks for the story! i guess i should just come to terms with it that she’s a little roo, haha. i read a thread with photos of the difference between speckled sussex roos and pullets and i’m hoping to use that information when she gets a little older. if it’s true then i guess i gotta try to find someone on craigslist to take her when it’s confirmed

 

[calichooks]

Welcome!
I hope it's a pullet too, but suspect that you do have a cockerel. Sorry...
Mary

thank you for the input! hoover’s has a 90% accuracy rate with sexing so i guess i shouldn’t be too surprised i ended up with at least one male out of twenty, i just wish it wasn’t my favorite

 

[elisabeth_]

thanks for the story! i guess i should just come to terms with it that she’s a little roo, haha. i read a thread with photos of the difference between speckled sussex roos and pullets and i’m hoping to use that information when she gets a little older. if it’s true then i guess i gotta try to find someone on craigslist to take her when it’s confirmed

I know the feeling, a few years ago the same happened with an Easter Egger I loved. We ended up giving him to a friend.
I hope it turns out to be a hen

 

[Folly's place]

It's your favorite because of that bold pushy attitude, right? I love my SS hens, and have had some very difficult (nasty!) cockerels, who started out 'bold' and 'friendly'.
Mary