White Plymouth Rock - Is it a rooster?

[catcat]

I'm raising my first chickens (a flock of 6 who have been raised together since tiny chicks and all get along wonderfully) and they are now about 16 weeks old. I *thought* I had all pullets but I'm now wondering if the one White Plymouth Rock (pictured below) is really a male. S/he has made a sound very like a rooster crow the last couple of days and I saw her/him push up against some of the Easter Eggers in what to my very inexperienced eyes seemed a suggestive way. I'm hoping that maybe Plymouth Rocks are just like this sometimes and this is a female. Can anyone offer me any comfort? I really don't want a rooster but Penny here is my favorite of all the chickens. If she is really a he, will his friendly personality change when he gets full grown?

 

[Kevin565]

I don't raise chickens but I'm pretty sure that's a roo

 

[catcat]

What makes you say that?

 

[Wishing4Wings]

I am not familiar with this breed (only barred rocks, which are probably similar). The large size and red color of comb and wattles are rooster traits. He's big and standing upright. You may also notice shiny pointed hackle and saddle feathers (hard to see on a white bird). Looks like he's starting to get long roo tail.

So many people are dismayed that their most favorite chick turns out to be the one rooster. Often the roosters are much more friendly as chicks compared to hens. You can expect a personality change with the impending hormones, but that varies with the individual bird.

 

[speckledhen]

It is a rooster. It has a fringe of pointy, shiny, skinny saddle feathers hanging off the back just in front of the tail, as only roosters do.

 

[catcat]

That tail feather development only happened a few days ago. That was my first moment of doubt.

 

[catcat]

Wishing4Wings, you are suggesting a rooster might not develop into a bird so mean and aggressive I need to separate it from the hens? Is it possible this one will be a *sweet* rooster?

 

[speckledhen]

Roosters are rarely actually cruel to the hens, though breeding sometimes seems rather brutal to those who aren't used to chicken mating behavior.

You won't know his temperament until he's actively breeding the hens and his hormones are in full swing. I have wonderful roosters, both Delaware and the blue Orpington in my avatar, and have had very easygoing Barred Plymouth Rock roosters as well. You'll just have to wait and see how he does.

 

[jak2002003]

Wow HE is lovely.

Most times the rooster will live happily with the hens with no problems. There might be a sort period when he in in his chicken 'teens', when he is getting the hang of how to tread the hens.

I have many roosters and ALL are great.

As you have so few hens, keep at eye out that they are not going bald on the back of their heads with the mating. This probably won't happen, but just be aware. I sometimes have hen rooster pairs only, and they are 99 percent no problems.

Most roosters are 'normal' chickens. Few develop into nasty aggressive ones - but we tend to hear about them on here as people post question for help about them.

Good luck with him!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

When I speak of a chicken being "friendly" I'm generally referring to its behavior toward people, and this may change with hormones, where the roo becomes skittish or occasionally aggressive. (But not always- SpeckledHen has some roosters that have excellent temperaments.) There's no need to separate him from the girls, they're already getting along.