Sitting with a cup of coffee. (coffee lovers)

Date sort Score sort
I plan to do a proper site search as well, but I was just curious and thought I would ask my coffee buddies.

Has any of you ever had a she switch to a he?
I know it's rare but can happen in a flock with no rooster. I ask because I think I have that happening to one of my definitely "she" Aussies.
She is behaving more and more like a "he" every day, attitude and all, and has stopped laying. She is otherwise perfectly healthy.

Of course I would get the "odd ball". I mean really. Who remembers the first time I bought 2 pullet Aussies from a breeder that turned out to be 2 very sick roos?
Then I try again, determined to get my Aussie girls and I buy 5 sexed Aussie chicks from Cackle Hatchery last spring, gladly paying A LOT for the special packing to make sure they arrived in good shape (which they did) only to find out that pretty soon that one was a roo anyway!

Did someone put a curse on me or is some poultry fairy determined that I am supposed to have an Aussie roo and making sure that comes to pass
one way or the other????
hide.gif
 
Last edited:
chickisoup said:
I plan to do a proper site search as well, but I was just curious and thought I would ask my coffee buddies.

Has any of you ever had a she switch to a he?
I know it's rare but can happen in a flock with no rooster. I ask because I think I have that happening to one of my definitely "she" Aussies.
She is behaving more and more like a "he" every day, attitude and all, and has stopped laying. She is otherwise perfectly healthy.

Of course I would get the "odd ball". I mean really. Who remembers the first time I bought 2 pullet Aussies from a breeder that turned out to be 2 very sick roos?
Then I try again, determined to get my Aussie girls and I buy 5 sexed Aussie chicks from Cackle Hatchery last spring, gladly paying A LOT for the special packing to make sure they arrived in good shape (which they did) only to find out that pretty soon that one was a roo anyway!

Did someone put a curse on me or is some poultry fairy determined that I am supposed to have an Aussie roo and making sure that comes to pass
one way or the other????
hide.gif
Click to expand...

I just wrote about one hen of mine who started crowing.... but she didnt do the other stuff. Just Crowed occasionally till a rooster showed up at our fence WANTING IN... in the city no less....

deb
 
chickisoup said:
I plan to do a proper site search as well, but I was just curious and thought I would ask my coffee buddies.

Has any of you ever had a she switch to a he?
I know it's rare but can happen in a flock with no rooster. I ask because I think I have that happening to one of my definitely "she" Aussies.
She is behaving more and more like a "he" every day, attitude and all, and has stopped laying. She is otherwise perfectly healthy.

Of course I would get the "odd ball". I mean really. Who remembers the first time I bought 2 pullet Aussies from a breeder that turned out to be 2 very sick roos?
Then I try again, determined to get my Aussie girls and I buy 5 sexed Aussie chicks from Cackle Hatchery last spring, gladly paying A LOT for the special packing to make sure they arrived in good shape (which they did) only to find out that pretty soon that one was a roo anyway!

Did someone put a curse on me or is some poultry fairy determined that I am supposed to have an Aussie roo and making sure that comes to pass
one way or the other????
hide.gif
Click to expand...

IDK anything about chickens changing sex.
hu.gif
 
@chickisoup My understanding is that the gender-changing thing has nothing to do with the presence or absence of a rooster. What happens is that, as the bird develops, only one gonad (sex organ) develops inside it. In the case of a hen, it becomes an ovary. Something happens to the ovary, and the bird stops laying eggs. Depending on what exactly happens, the other gonad may develop, and if it turns out to be a testes, it produces male hormones, so the bird takes on male characteristics. My understanding is that the roo formerly known as a hen is sterile, though it looks and acts pretty much like a roo (though if the hen's body type is significantly smaller and rounder than roo's normally are for the breed, it will be a short dumpy roo).

This has been observed under laboratory conditions; surgically removing the ovary from a mature hen can result in it turning into a roo. As far as I know, nobody has ever seen it happen the other way, a rooster apparently turning into a hen.
 
Ok, for those who are curious, here is a good article on sex changing hens

http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/spontaneous-sex-reversal-hen-just-become-rooster/

knew this was possible but I had learned it so long ago, I totally forgot the science behind it. This is a great explanation in english.

Since you guys hadn't heard of this, I have to assume you haven't dealt with it, except maybe Perchie. I wonder if her hen was calling a roo or trying to chase one off?

ETA- Thanks Bunny! you were posting while I was still typing. Great explanation! BTW - this article states that at least one case of it happening the "other way" is known and there is a documented case of a hen to roo actually siring chicks.
I had read somewhere about the no rooster flock thing somewhere being another cause, that info must have been w/o merit, just someone's logical theory.
 
Last edited:
chickisoup, it happens. Generally involves an ovarian tumor. I have seen it happen once. A friend had a 5 yr old heritage RIR that during a molt morphed into a rooster - hackle, sickle, tail coverlets - crowing. Yes, right in front of our eyes she turned into a rooster.
 

Similar threads

C
    • Like
Best beddings
Replies
1
Views
314
cavemanrich
cavemanrich
L
    • Like
Chicken Watering Cup Leaks
Replies
9
Views
522
Laurie Williams
L
pac
Quail waterer cups. Which ones?
Replies
9
Views
669
pac
pac
Chippi
    • Like
Why does my chicken do this?
Replies
5
Views
632
aart
aart
GlicksChicks
    • Love
🖌Community Art Nook🖌
19 20 21
Replies
209
Views
13K
GlicksChicks
GlicksChicks

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom