what are you?

[AggieBri]

Thanks guys. Our poor gender confused stray chicken We'll just call she/him a shim. Or change its name to Pat.

pleasedontstartcrowing...pleasedontstartcrowing....pleasedontstartcrowing....

 

[debid]

What a pretty chicken! Where were the missing feathers?

I'm having a hard time telling gender with these two photos. If that is red in the wing, it's definitely a boy. But I can't tell with the angle and lighting whether those spots are red or black. A full side shot would help.

 

[AggieBri]

What a pretty chicken! Where were the missing feathers?

I'm having a hard time telling gender with these two photos. If that is red in the wing, it's definitely a boy. But I can't tell with the angle and lighting whether those spots are red or black. A full side shot would help.

The missing feathers were on the backside between the wings, and the tail feathers. Is that a helpful clue in determining gender?
There are definitely red/brown spots on each wing that appeared about a week ago. At first we thought it was dried blood, but nope, reddish feathers. Why would that be a marker for a roo?

Why can't chickens have genatalia!!? Grr...

Thanks for all this helpful info everyone. She/he is pretty, and awfully sweet. We love spoiling our lone chicken!

 

[Chicken Frenzie]

The missing feathers were on the backside between the wings, and the tail feathers. Is that a helpful clue in determining gender?
There are definitely red/brown spots on each wing that appeared about a week ago. At first we thought it was dried blood, but nope, reddish feathers. Why would that be a marker for a roo?

Why can't chickens have genatalia!!? Grr...

Thanks for all this helpful info everyone. She/he is pretty, and awfully sweet. We love spoiling our lone chicken!

Usually reddish feathers comig on the wings means it'sa rooster

 

[heath_elisha]

Looks like a splash marans.... blue and copper BOY. Rooster all the way..... very pretty too

You could ask the pros at the marans thread....

 

[heath_elisha]

Yeah, she/he does have some weird rogue feathers growing from the legs.
Do roosters make "bok bok bok bok" noises like a hen does? She/he doesn't really "crow", but does bok bok a lot in the morning. Do some roosters not crow at all? Wouldnt he be crowing by now if he was a roo? Oh sheesh, how would I know for sure if he is a rooster?

And yes, I'll try to get some side photo's!!

Roosters and hens talk all the time... he is communicating with you Question is.... do you bok bok bok back?

 

[debid]

I do believe you have a splash Marans cockerel. Red feathers appearing on the wing bows of a black/gray/white chicken always mean rooster. If you look at rooster pictures, you'll notice that many of them have red patches on their wing bows while the girls don't have red on their wings unless their body is red. It has to do with the basic patterning of wild chickens.

I asked where the missing feathers were because it's sometimes a clue to gender. A bare patch just above the tail, for example, is a female that has been loved too much. But no, this guy was just getting his clock rung by the dominant rooster. I doubt anyone is coming looking for him.

 

[heath_elisha]

I do believe you have a splash Marans cockerel. Red feathers appearing on the wing bows of a black/gray/white chicken always mean rooster. If you look at rooster pictures, you'll notice that many of them have red patches on their wing bows while the girls don't have red on their wings unless their body is red. It has to do with the basic patterning of wild chickens.

I asked where the missing feathers were because it's sometimes a clue to gender. A bare patch just above the tail, for example, is a female that has been loved too much. But no, this guy was just getting his clock rung by the dominant rooster. I doubt anyone is coming looking for him.

Could also be going through a molt.... my roo looses all his tail feathers during molt.

 

[debid]

Could also be going through a molt.... my roo looses all his tail feathers during molt.

That would be a very rough molt for a juvenile. At least, none of mine lost patches of feathers in their first year molts. Back and tail suggests that he was being chased and plucked, don't you think?

 

[heath_elisha]

I'm not really sure... I see nothing in these pictures that suggests plucking- what I do see is barely any spurs yet and the overall size of him suggests a young bird. I have a blue copper marans in the yard that is now just over 13 weeks and his looks as thin as this guy. And he is going through his juvy molt.... although is just barely starting to loose his feathers now. I see occasional blue feathers in the pen and there is only one other blue in there with him.