Standard Cochin, Hen or Roo?

[posey]

We purchased a blue standard cochin at about 4 months and we were told it was a pullet. Here is a pic a few days later.

We named 'her' Sylvia because of her beautifual silver grey coloring.

Well now it's 2 1/2 months later and this chicken has grown, lots. It's huge! I mean HUGE!!!
Very close to 24" tall with neck and head extended.
It has always been a bit of a loner, never really fitting in with the other hens.

The comb and wattles have really grown since we got this chicken and compared to our other hens (not same breed) these are thicker and larger.

Now we have notice the past 3 days that this 'hen' has tried to mount other hens 4 to 5 times.
They put up a fight and won't allow it, but it tries again with a different hen latter.

So after today, I sat down and looked this chicken over. I noticed that the neck hackle feathers are quite a bit longer comparatively speaking than our other hens. I looked for rooster sickle feathers and didn't see any. The bump on the legs where spurs would grow out if it was a roo are about a 1/4 inch long.

Then I decided to bring it in the house and take some photos. Here they are:

A friend of mine looked at the photos in an email and said that she could see saddle feathers.
I can too in some of the photos.

We have not heard any crowing to date from this chicken and all of this leaves us rather confused.

So what do ya'll think is this really a roo or just a weird hen?
Do we have a Sylvia or shall we rename it Silvester?
Thanks for your help

 

[19hhbelgian]

I'm going with Silvester...

 

[posey]

Quote:
Yeah? Okay, tell me why? What do you see?

 

[19hhbelgian]

I think I do see some saddle feathers, and those neck feathers look pretty pointy. If it was a hen it would have all rounded feathers, plus you mentioned it's trying to mount your other hens - could be a hen trying to establish dominance, but I'd associate it to more roosterish behavior rather than dominant hen because of the pointy feathers. I have an EE roo who just started crowing, and he is 7 months old. Plus, I don't know if giant cochin hens get to be 2 feet tall.

 

[posey]

Oh, wish it was a hen. I bought a lovely frizzle banty roo for my girls cause I didn't want a big roo.
Looks like I got a whopper anyway.
At least he/she is attractive.
Thanks

Anyone else out there that can give me hope for a hen?

 

[gocrow77]

I also think rooster and think I see some saddle feathers. I think sometimes at least with standards that cochins can be hard to sex. My rooster matured very slowly and is just now starting to mount hens in the last few days he is 8-9 months old. I have had two other long time chicken people tell me he was "for sure" a hen. Luckily I did my homework and since he is a partridge I knew he couldn't be a hen with his coloring - just a really late bloomer. He is now 8 months old, HUGE, and is now getting some saddle feathers. Not much of a comb to speak of and not much in the way of hackle feathers. Your guy is really handsome - I would be tickled to have him in my flock - but then, I am really partial to roosters! Best of luck to you, I bet he makes you some really pretty babies in the future!

 

[Goose and Fig]

Oh yeah- that is going to be one big boy. You'll never see a blue hen get shiny feathers like that. He looks lovely though. LF cochin roos have really great temperments. Love them

 

[babyriver]

He would go good with my hen ,she is 3 months old

 

[posey]

Awwwwwwwwwww so cute, Babyriver.

Happy Mt, what do you mean by LF cochin roos? what does the LF stand for? So he will be a sweet boy? Honestly, I haven't paid much attention to him cause he is so aloof. I know he loves to eat though, that's about all he does. Maybe I need to sit with him and feed him some treats to get him accustomed to come to me. What would you suggest?

I keep my chickens in a large run that is covered because we've been having a hawk problem. I haven't lost one chicken to a hawk but they keep stoping by. I'd love to let him out to walk around with me when I am raking leaves or working in the yard. How can I train him to stay near by me or to follow me around?

Thanks all for your input and other thoughts or comments about roos of this breed are wanted and welcom.

 

[becky3086]

LF= Large Fowl or Standard--not bantam