Squatting rooster surprise pullet?

[belindaschicks]

My 19 week Dominique bantam suddenly this week calmed down and began squating. Does this mean pullet. We originally thought pullet when she was born with the tight spot on the head and dark legs. But a few weeks ago the classic roo tail feathers showed up.

 

[Pyxis]

That's definitely a cockerel. In addition to the rooster hackle, saddle, and sickle feathers, he is also double barred, something that's only possible in male birds.

 

[aart]

Under what circumstances does he squat?
Squatting, like mounting, is not always a sexual behavior...
...squatting is a submissive behavior.
Are there other males in your flock?

 

[belindaschicks]

Under what circumstances does he squat?
Squatting, like mounting, is not always a sexual behavior...
...squatting is a submissive behavior.
Are there other males in your flock?

There is another male. Squats when I touch and raises it's wings. Also spends a lot of time in the nest box.

 

[JedJackson]

He's a cockerel and everything you describe is normal. No need to worry.

 

[azygous]

Chickens, possessing both female and male sex cells (as opposed to hormones), are capable of, not only secondary sexual characteristics of the opposite sex, can also engage in the behavior of the gender opposite of their designated sex.

This is more common that people think.

 

[MageofMist]

My cockerel Peep-Peep squats down and then crawls away whining when I pet him, it is rather amusing. You don't even need to pet him fully, just lightly tap a feather and he is on the floor.

Rooroo, his dad, doesn't squat to me. But I do see him in the nestboxes at times... One time he got booted out by a hen who wanted to lay an egg, and he just laid there outside the box making the deep rumbling sounds while the hen basically tore apart the nest he just neatened up... Poor guy.