First I’d like to say this is in the behavior forum instead of gender forum because I’m trying to focus more on behavior in this post!
Some people may have heard about my Naked Neck, Cashew. We’ve been debating the gender of Cashew for a while. We’re going to give them away to somebody who owns a farm, but it’s always nice to know the gender of what you’re receiving! I went to the county poultry meeting last night, and I asked them and they told me about sickle feathers (I’m not nearly an expert on chickens) and hen feathers, rounded and points, yeah, yeah, yeah. So basically I learned a lot, and when I looked at a recent picture I had of Cashew’s tail feathers, they were mostly rounded. I was still slightly doubtful that it was a girl but then I realized that Cashew hasn’t crowed or tried to crow yet, and Cashew’s already at the age where they WOULD BE crowing. I took all of this information and concluded it was a girl.
But this morning changed everything for me.
I opened the door on the coop (a tractor coop so it’s tall and the door falls over and lays against the ‘legs’ of the coop) and I’m at eye level, watching Cashew finish up mating with my Barred rock pullet, Batman. I was so surprised I didn’t notice the Buff Orpington pecking at my coat sleeve! I finished my duties, filing the heated water bowl, filling their food, checking for eggs. I closed the door and was walking away when I looked back to see 5 of my pullets watching me, and in the small doorway, Cashew mating with one of my buff orpingtons, Brittney. When he was with Brittney, I don’t know who but one of them had growled. I know pullets can growl but it was also semi-crowish.
So based on Cashew’s BEHAVIOR, is it a boy?
Some people may have heard about my Naked Neck, Cashew. We’ve been debating the gender of Cashew for a while. We’re going to give them away to somebody who owns a farm, but it’s always nice to know the gender of what you’re receiving! I went to the county poultry meeting last night, and I asked them and they told me about sickle feathers (I’m not nearly an expert on chickens) and hen feathers, rounded and points, yeah, yeah, yeah. So basically I learned a lot, and when I looked at a recent picture I had of Cashew’s tail feathers, they were mostly rounded. I was still slightly doubtful that it was a girl but then I realized that Cashew hasn’t crowed or tried to crow yet, and Cashew’s already at the age where they WOULD BE crowing. I took all of this information and concluded it was a girl.
But this morning changed everything for me.
I opened the door on the coop (a tractor coop so it’s tall and the door falls over and lays against the ‘legs’ of the coop) and I’m at eye level, watching Cashew finish up mating with my Barred rock pullet, Batman. I was so surprised I didn’t notice the Buff Orpington pecking at my coat sleeve! I finished my duties, filing the heated water bowl, filling their food, checking for eggs. I closed the door and was walking away when I looked back to see 5 of my pullets watching me, and in the small doorway, Cashew mating with one of my buff orpingtons, Brittney. When he was with Brittney, I don’t know who but one of them had growled. I know pullets can growl but it was also semi-crowish.
So based on Cashew’s BEHAVIOR, is it a boy?
Also tasty. 
But it's only been to those she could dominate. She might get eliminated from my flock for it. I won't let my boys bald the ladies, I sure ain't gonna let another girl! 
