What breed and what gender

[ascott99]

Mud...just rained last night and he was rolling in it! Anyways, I have noticed he is always on the look out. Our chickens are still young and haven't started laying yet. When will he grow spurs? And so I'm guessing it's fine to have him sleeping with the other hens at night? (And not be separated) and the crowing is pretty excessive. Crows at 4 in the morning even though it's still dark

 

[StephensonC]

Mud...just rained last night and he was rolling in it! Anyways, I have noticed he is always on the look out. Our chickens are still young and haven't started laying yet. When we he grow spurs?

OK Glad it's just the mud and nothing else. As far as the spurs, some get them faster than others. Sometimes it can take until they are around a year old but can start getting them around 6 months of age. They will sort of look like a nub that will gradually increase over several months. They don't start out being "sharp or pointy" either. That usually develops around a year old as well.

 

[StephensonC]

Mud...just rained last night and he was rolling in it! Anyways, I have noticed he is always on the look out. Our chickens are still young and haven't started laying yet. When will he grow spurs? And so I'm guessing it's fine to have him sleeping with the other hens at night? (And not be separated) and the crowing is pretty excessive. Crows at 4 in the morning even though it's still dark

Mine sleep with our girls. I have 3 coops with 1 rooster in each coop. I haven't had any problems. As a matter of fact, 1 will crow anytime during the night when there is a raccoon or fox lurking around. I like the idea of that because 1. Hopefully it will scare the predator off and 2. it alerts the girls to possible danger. He also crows during the night if he hears us outside too. The other 2 don't make a sound till around 4 or 4:30ish.

 

[ascott99]

Thank you so much!