What breed and gender

[Peggy-Sue]

I put this in another from because I didn't realize this one was here... I am hoping to get some more info....

What do you guys think rooster or hen? This is pumpkin which was sold to us as a "hen". The lady told us she was born in april and was said to be a RIR x Welsummer mix... I would have thought she would have been laying by now and now we are thinking she is a he... Now... she has always had these longer tail feathers its just in the past 3 weeks she has gotten really big! (I think the last owner didn't feed her enough) Anyways she is at the bottom of the picking order and all my other girls pick on her. She has not made a rooster call and is not very vocal in general. Also she has no signs of spur development and at this age I would have thought there would be small spurs. So i don't know whats going on... Hopefully you guys can help! We can't have roosters in our town so if she is really a he looks like we'll have to get rid of him

I will add that my barred rock and pumpkin are getting pink on their legs. I read on one of the threads that this means two things:
1) Roosters testosterone levels are increasing (which would be bad)
2) Hens are becoming sexually mature

Is this true?

While I'm talking about pumpkin, what breed/mix do you guys think she is??? Like I said the lady who sold her to us said she was a RIR x Welsummer mix... What age do you think she will start laying?

 

[Lothiriel]

I'm pretty sure that Pumpkin is a cockerel. Those skinny shiny saddle and hackle feathers are a definite giveaway, along with the dark red shoulders.

As far as breed, I'd say he's mixed with a Wyandotte, with that rose comb of his. Not sure what the other breed(s) would be.

 

[Peggy-Sue]

Well that's not what I was hoping for lol... I posted this in the laying form and had 3 people tell me pumpkin was a she... Is there anything thing else I can look for??? If she is really a he shouldn't he be crowing by now?

 

[PekinBantam]

roo

 

[Smoochie]

POL Pullet

 

[Smoochie]

Her comb is pink and small. I don't see any hackle or saddle feathers and at her age it would be obvious.. Many of my hens look a bit boyish when they are almost ready to lay an egg.

 

[Peggy-Sue]

Oh boy i'm at 50/50 with gender... If she's a he we gotta get ride of him and we don't want to do that

 

[Lothiriel]

Her comb is pink and small. I don't see any hackle or saddle feathers and at her age it would be obvious.. Many of my hens look a bit boyish when they are almost ready to lay an egg.

Saddle feathers:



Hackles:



They look pointy to me. One thing you can do to be sure they are actually pointy and it's not just the pattern is put a piece of paper behind them. Pointed = male, rounded = female.

When did you get Pumpkin? I have doubts about it hatching in April.

Not all cockerels crow early. I've read that some don't crow until long after they are mature.

 

[Peggy-Sue]

We got pumpkin on September 16th and was very very sinky... Since then pumpkin has gained weight and is now one of our bigger chickens. What i dont get is if she was a he why is he at the bottom of the pecking order? Being bigger you woukd think there would be some type of dominance going on... Pumpkin makes th same sounds as our other hens... What else can i look for... Also i don't remember if i added this in this post but pumpkin has no.signs of spurs.. Just little bumbs which are smaller then my oldest hen..

 

[Smoochie]

I would not give her away just yet.. .