What Gender Is My Chicken?

[CubbieFan88]

Hello! This is about one of our chickens: Mayhem. When we bought Mayhem the chick was born first week of this March maybe. We were told she was a Red Sexlink

female chick from a local feed store. Or pullet if you will. Not knowing much about chickens I take it at as trust and truth. A family friend of ours took a look at her and said she was a rooster, not a hen. I told him what the store said and he said they were wrong. I blew it off until...she crowed. Granted it is a pathetic, short, doesn't sound like a crow at all type crow...but still kinda sounds like it is. I read online and it said in small backyard flocks of all females that hens can indeed crow too under certain conditions. For example in small female flocks its said that a female with a strong personality will take over the role as 'rooster'. This could be in our case. Mayhem is indeed a stroooooooong personality and hen pecks at a smaller new chicks and even our Bantam who is roughly 2 months like her. What do you guys think? Please tell me this is a hen?

 

[Mace Gill]

I could be wrong, but the body shape says 'hen' to me

 

[summerb123]

Can you get a picture from inside the run I can't see the saddles from the outside

 

[Lady of McCamley]

That is a Production Red rooster at what must be about 10 to 12 weeks? I can see the beginning of hackles and saddle feathers with significant red comb before point of lay (which won't be until 18 to 20 weeks even with RSL).

All young roosters begin with pathetic little crows.

And it is not common for a female in an all female flock to begin to crow. IF it happens, it is almost always an older alpha female who has begun "henopause" and the hormone shift causes an imbalance of androgens in her system which produces the equivalent of a menopausal "hair on the chin" and "deeper voice."

Sorry...all male. (And feed stores are notorious for being wrong about their birds...they got a Production Red in the RSL bin.)
LofMc

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

That is a Production Red rooster at what must be about 10 to 12 weeks? I can see the beginning of hackles and saddle feathers with significant red comb before point of lay (which won't be until 18 to 20 weeks even with RSL).

X 2 -- also there are shiny patches developing on the wingbows, yet another male characteristic.

 

[Hybridchucks]

cockerel

 

[drumstick diva]

sorry Cockerel

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

Definitely male.

 

[CubbieFan88]

Can you get a picture from inside the run I can't see the saddles from the outside

Here are some more images. I hope they help! Thanks for the feedback!

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Handsome cockerel.