Waaaaaah! She is a he...

[mamadoc]

My first post ever.
We have 4 chickens - all hatched around June 27th so they are just 18 weeks old.
One, our cuckoo marans, has made us worry she was a rooster the whole time - thicker legs, more wattle, more comb...but no cock-a-doodle-doo. I kept looking at pics of marans and had convinced myself Duffy was a she.

WELL, in the past 2 weeks she grew a TON! Seriously inches taller than our others and just BIGGER.

Today we celebrated my son's 9th birthday party - complete with "Chicken Bingo" and lots of kids holding chickens.

Near the end of the party Duffy decided to test out her vocal cords with some full on crowing. I was just astonished. I truly convinced myself that if no cock-a-doodle-dooing by now she was a she!! I cried - right in front of a bunch of my son's friends and their parents - oops.

I don't think we can have a rooster!! What do we do?? I'm attached to her/him!!!

Anyway, sure others have had this happen but I am just so sad. Really tempted to keep him and hope the neighbors don't complain.

-

Jen

 

[bustermommy]

My neighbors don't mind. I asked them. I suggest you ask yours and see what they say.

 

[Illia]

So sorry

You can prevent mistakes next time with Cuckoo Marans though. As soon as they're born, from then til they feather out - Boys have a big fat white splotch on the head, girls have a small one. Boys also feather out with much lighter, farther spaced barring.

Also -

 

[abbey808]

 

[franklinstreetwest]

I feel you completely!! I have a little Polish Crested banty roo. I told him that he was a girl from day one!!!!!!!!! I told everyone else he was a she!!!!!! He just wouldn't listen. I told myself that his half assed non-crow that sounded like a teenage girl being strangled would be fine as long as he didn't sound like a "real rooster". He sounds like a rooster now. A little one, and as far as I'm concerned he is 1000th the nuisance that the dogs are around me!!!!!!!!!!! I'm not a fool, I know my "secret" isn't really a secret. Prepare for the worste and work for the best. Feel out your neighborhood. Love him and keep him, but have a solution if things go wrong. Talk to your neighbors...

 

[franklinstreetwest]

I feel you completely!! I have a little Polish Crested banty roo. I told him that he was a girl from day one!!!!!!!!! I told everyone else he was a she!!!!!! He just wouldn't listen. I told myself that his half assed non-crow that sounded like a teenage girl being strangled would be fine as long as he didn't sound like a "real rooster". He sounds like a rooster now. A little one, and as far as I'm concerned he is 1000th the nuisance that the dogs are around me!!!!!!!!!!! I'm not a fool, I know my "secret" isn't really a secret. Prepare for the worste and work for the best. Feel out your neighborhood. Love him and keep him, but have a solution if things go wrong. Talk to your neighbors...