When does "rooish" behavior begin?

[Jeffross1968]

I have two young chickens, probably around 5 months old, who have not revealed their gender yet. I've posted a couple times in the "what is my gender" forum, and replies have always been mixed. I'm of the impression that if they were hens, they might have started laying by now, but maybe not. However, if they are roos, shouldn't I have seen some kind of rooish behavior at this point? No attempts at mating the hens, no crowing AT ALL. None of that sideways approaching of the hens (whatever the heck that is called, LOL). Nothing that would make you say ROOSTER!

We do have a year or so old golden sebright rooster, who I guess would be considered the alpha. I've read that this might delay the emergence of rooster behavior, but to what extent? These freeloaders need to crow or get laying!!!

 

[galanie]

I'd think by now you'd know if they were roosters. My vote is on hens. Some take forever to start laying. Or maybe it just seems that way.

 

[Stingrayg4]

Quote:
Agreed completely. Sometimes hens are six months or older before they start laying. I've seen rooster behaviors start very early. I had a five week old boy trying to crow, funny little squeaky peeping noise he was making, but it was obvious that he was crowing. I've had similarly young little fellas trying to jump on the backs of their nest mates, they have no idea what to do after they get up there, but again, it's obvious what they're trying to do. If the ones you have are roosters I think at the very least you'd be hearing a little bit of those hilarious adolescent crows.

-S

 

[catlady58]

My roos started crowing at 15 weeks. Still aren't doing the "wall-eyed dance" as we call it, but are being more agressive. I am betting you have hens. My boys' wattles and combs started really enlarging at 8 weeks or so; the hens have very, very tiny ones. These are BOs.

 

[gallatea]

They are all individual. Mine didn't lay til over 6 months old. Also, crowing came at different times for them all - some post 8 months, some at 4 months. I added more this spring, and I find that the crowing came earlier when they were exposed to other roos already crowing. Almost like it was prompted or mimicked, but it certainly help me figure out who was a roo earlier. That dancing stuff seemed to happen about the same time as crowing attempts. Don't rule it out yet though!

 

[Jeffross1968]

Well hopefully they aren't crowing because they are hens