"She's" crowing...?

[XAshleyX]

This is Rice. Rice is about 16 weeks old and this morning I watched "her" crow. Rice is an Easter egger and was purchased from a local farm where I've gotten most of my hens from.

I've also added my Oliver egger (grey bird) who seems to have many curved tail feathers.

Thoughts?

 

[sourland]

Both appear to be pullets.

 

[XAshleyX]

Both appear to be pullets.

So I have a crowing hen?! I do have a rooster so s(he) does hear him crow. Could (s)he be copying? I REALLY hope rice is a girl because i love her soooo much.

 

[Doug162]

Agree. Both look like pullets to me. I have heard others say that hens do sometimes "crow" when they're trying to establish their spot in the pecking order.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

Both are pullets. Crowing hens sometimes happen, and there is no way you can stop it, especially if you already have a rooster. Hens can start acting more like roosters (and growing rooster-specific feathers) for two main reasons:

• They are attempting to show their dominance.
• They have something wrong with their hormones, which eventually turns the hen almost into a rooster.

 

[NatJ]

Hens can start acting more like roosters....

• They have something wrong with their hormones, which eventually turns the hen into a rooster.

Hens with hormone problems certainly can have rooster-type feathers and rooster behavior, so they appear to be roosters. But a hen never turns completely into a rooster. For example, I have never yet heard of one that managed to fertilize eggs such that they hatched. And a DNA test for male vs. female chromosomes is not going to give a different result before vs. after a change like that.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

Hens with hormone problems certainly can have rooster-type feathers and rooster behavior, so they appear to be roosters. But a hen never turns completely into a rooster. For example, I have never yet heard of one that managed to fertilize eggs such that they hatched. And a DNA test for male vs. female chromosomes is not going to give a different result before vs. after a change like that.

Let me change that to almost, then. I forgot about the fertilizing part, thank you for the reminder.

 

[The Moonshiner]

I'm going with cockerel.
Has that "I'm a male, d@mn it" look in it's eyes.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

Her face looks like a cockerel, but all of those feathers point to pullet.

 

[XAshleyX]

I included a few more pictures I just took