Uh oh. I think one of my "hens" is a rooster.

[Beadalin]

Hi all,

This is my first post and I will properly introduce myself soon, I promise.

I have a wee flock of six chickens, which we got as pullets two months ago. We have two Barred Rocks, and they're a little over 4 months old now.

After getting back from a 9-day vacation, we're now deeply suspicious that one of the Rocks is no lady. "She" has been crowing (a really inept crow, but unmistakeable), mounting the older birds -- who are 6 months old and started laying while we were gone, naturally -- and her comb and wattle are noticably bigger and redder than her sister's.

We think she might be a roo, but I wanted to rule out the possibility that we just have a bossy little hen who's trying to take over the roo role, which I've heard can happen.

The most recent photo I have on hand is about a month old. If it's helpful, I can post a more recent one later.

Thoughts? Advice on what to do?

 

[Happy Chooks]

Oooooh, I love playing these roo or hen games.


It's easier to tell with a side view. But I'm going to guess roo (don't shoot me) My BR is black with white barring, and yours appears to be more white with black barring.

Again, I'm guessing, so hopefully more experienced chickeneers will pipe in.

 

[OutdoorFun4]

You may have a better response if you move this post to

"What Breed or Gender is This?"

She looks like a girl... Roos have a finer barring and appear lighter.
The behavior and the crowing are throwing me off.

Good Luck!

 

[Kezzie]

I'm going to say pullet too. She's dark like a pullet and I would expect more comb and wattle at 4 months in a boy.

 

[fldiver97]

Hmmm, that picture/age makes me think girl but then, I am not the expert.... The OP suggested to move this question into the section "Whatbreed/gender is this" You should get good response there. And maybe better picture would help?

Hope that Betty is a she though:cd

 

[Happy Chooks]

Okay, after googling barred rock rooster, I'm changing my answer to pullet.

 

[cmom]

I'm thinking Roo. Do you have a more recent picture?

 

[kargo]

I say she is definitely a she. I'm not an expert, but I have a BR hena nd a BR roo. She looks a lot more like my hen than my roo.

 

[BantyRooster]

I'd say it's a hen based on the tail, hackle and saddle feathers, also the color pattern.

A rooster has pointed feathers on its neck annd back and would have a shorter tail at that age. Unless its a mixed BR, a rooster would generally be much lighter and have more narrow bars.

Here's a pic of a BR roo at four months.

Keep us posted

ETA: I said four weeks I meant four months.

 

[Beadalin]

We're now pretty certain it's a roo. Sorry the photo is so old; our mystery bird looks a whole lot like the one BantyRooster posted (although ours is darker, still). Betty, now Bentley, was crowing like anything this morning and tried to make sweet, sweet love to three of the other hens just during the time I watched before heading off to work.

We've spoken to the guy we bought the pullets from. He laughed, apologized, and has agreed to exchanged Bentley for a confirmed female. We'll be making the swap tomorrow! No way we can keep him; it requires a separate license and a lot of our neighbors only signed on for this because we promised no roosters. Oops.

I'm sorry that missed the "What breed or gender is this?" option -- I should have dug around a little more.

Thanks for weighing in! This has been an adventure.