We can't tell for sure hen or roo?

[fleenorfarmmom]

I am relatively new to chickens but have been kinda dumb my whole life. We've had chickens for years but never had one quite like Large Marge. She fights and acts like a rooster. She has never laid an egg. She looks like a girl but...? She is a Delaware/Wyandotte mutt but we just don't know. She is shaped like a rooster, if that makes any sense. She is hard to catch but I guess we need to look at her backend and figure out what we are looking at. We have some bonafide hens that we can compare too I guess. I just figured you all would get a kick out of dumb story. I really enjoy this forum and reading about other peoples maladies and mis-combobulations. Now I have my very own.

 

[firebugfab]

Quote:
THank you so much for your post! I feel so much better now! You are experienced and can't tell! I got my first two chickens of my life 7 weeks ago and I haven't a clue what they are. I knew it was luck of the draw when I bought them from tractor supply, but how old are RIR's before you can tell? How do you tell early? I know how to tell once they are grown but not at 7 weeks. Is there a way? I don't mean this to hijack your thread, I'm just really hoping for pullets.

 

[Chirpy]

If you have one of each you should be able to tell pretty soon. One (Roo) will develop a larger, redder comb and wattle sooner than the other one.

If they are both the same sex, that makes it harder as they will develop pretty much the same. If their combs are very light colored and small at this point then I'd 'hope' that they are girls.

I know this wasn't really a help to you ... seven weeks is still young.

 

[Nichole77]

I love the name. Large Marge, love it.

 

[fleenorfarmmom]

We named Large Marge so because she was so tall and meaner than the other chicks. Now that she is grown, we might have to change her name to Large Sarge. She is big and shaped like a rooster, has large comb and wattles like a rooster, ruffs up a collar like a rooster when challenged. It doesn't have tail feathers like a rooster should, and doesn't crow. And it has never laid an egg. We really going to have to look at it's behind. Gives us something else to talk about at dinner. People in our community already think we are nuts. We sit at the table talking about the weirdest things. Farm living, gotta love it.

 

[Portia]

Large Marge has been relegated to 'it'.

 

[fleenorfarmmom]

Update on Large Marge! The hens answered that question for us. They pecked the feathers off Marge's butt when they chased her under the woodpile. They didn't hurt her (maybe her pride) but now you can tell she's a she. She just a big homely she. Without rumpfeathers for now. Maybe she got a dose of humility too.

 

[Portia]

Awww, poor girl. Maybe she'll settle down now and start laying eggs

 

[chickeepoo]

I've been having the same question about my RI Red chicks- they're about 8 weeks old now, and one of them is leaner with large, RED comb and wattles and a couple extra tail feather growing out and curving… but there's another larger bird (Chick-Fillet) with a large comb and wattles that are really just pinkish-gray. I'm thinking the skinny bird with the red comb is a possible roo, but I'm not sure about the other one. They're both a little more "forward" than the other chicks. The other 4 ladies have very small, light colored combs and stubbier-looking tails, so I'm pretty sure they're hens.
I got the first 4 at a feed store and came back a few days later for 2 more- could be that the guy I told to please get me 2 hen chicks reached in and picked me 2 roos! Any way to tell for sure short of waiting for crowing and/or eggs?