ummmm....TRansgender chicken??? can anyone relate?

[EvieChickenGirl]

Hi! A couple years back I got a beautiful plymouth rock hen...I raised her since she was a chick and absolutely adore her...she was my best egg-layer, follower and mama. She hatched 3 baby chicks that turned out to be female! Anyway, I had to get rid of my rooster, so I gave him to a friend and lately she has been acting...interesting...She gained 7 pounds and grew IMMENSELY IN SIZE...her comb and wattle are HUGE now...and she's started mating with all the other chickens, including the ones SHE/He has hatched....I don't know what to do...I cannot keep her/him because of the cock-a-doodling....and mating issue, and am confused.....

 

[sourland]

Upon occasion a hen will develop an ovarian tumor which alters her hormonal level and causes her to develop the physical characteristics of a rooster. I am 83 years old and have been around chickens my entire life. I have only seen this happen once in a flock owned by a friend of mine.

 

[StinkyAcres]

It happens! It is often caused by a damaged ovary. I've had several hens crow and one grew spurs.

 

[EvieChickenGirl]

yeah....mine did that tooo...

 

[BigBlueHen53]

A lot of my hens have spurs, usually not very big, but I've never had one crow or mount other hens.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I shouldn't say "a lot." More like "a few," but it's not unusual.

 

[Ponyiqandhens2]

I took a severely injured hen ( suspect she was attacked by the flock because she was sick) she had been laying for the owner for 3 years..took forever to get her healthy, but she is blind and now a "he" she grew saddle feathers in after her last molt..doesn't crown but physically now looks male.." she's just a pet due to her issues..but was a good layer for years for my friend