So if roosters can be hen-feathered...

[Mary Of Exeter]

Can hens be rooster-feathered?

I have a young mixed chicken here, who has a straight, fanned tail going on, but is starting to get some very suspicious saddle feathers. I had excepted this little 'guy' was a male but I swear, he acts and sounds just like a hen. Maybe he's just confused! Has anyone else had gender-confused chickens before?

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

yes; at least sort of. If they lack female hormones due to ovary damage, they will grow male feathers.

 

[loverOFchickens]

Also a hen can change if they don't have a roo in the flock.

Some people in the middle ages got spooked out at it and burned them at the stake.That was only if they where crowing AND laying eggs though.

 

[Mary Of Exeter]

Interesting...I had no idea!

 

[jeremy]

Quote:
They can't physically change sex. Maybe behavior, but changing breed in the chicken world is impossible. You were misinformed.

 

[call ducks]

Quote:
They can't physically change sex. Maybe behavior, but changing breed in the chicken world is impossible. You were misinformed.

no if there is no roo in the pen some times, and very rarely will , a hen will grow sprus , sto laying egg's and start to crow. This is may be cused by as Sonoran Silkies said may be cused by ovary damage

 

[DTchickens]

Quote:
They can't physically change sex. Maybe behavior, but changing breed in the chicken world is impossible. You were misinformed.

no if there is no roo in the pen some times, and very rarely will , a hen will grow sprus , sto laying egg's and start to crow. This is may be cused by as Sonoran Silkies said may be cused by ovary damage

Even if there is a rooster in a pen, i had a hen that crowed, grew spurs, would fight other hens etc (she was a game) and still laid eggs while in a pen with a rooster. I use high testosterone levels as a excuse but not sure.

 

[call ducks]

and yes they can still lay eggs , just depends on the hen i guess depends on the hen