Who is this mystery chicken?

[lbegley]

This summer I found the cutest little yellow fluffy chick in my yard.., it couldn't have been more than a week old. After parading it around the neighborhood, trying to find it's home with no luck, I went to work building a brooder and a coop and a yard, bought 2 sister chicks and that was the start of my little flock.
I haven't the slightest idea what type of chicken this is, and I'm afraid little Pooky is turning into a rooster... my city ordinances won't allow roosters
This chicken has a slender build compared to the 2 known hens, and is developing some darker, showier feathers on the tail.
Any info is appreciated, including advice on what to do with an illegal rooster (aside from coq au vin!).

 

[Mac14]

Beautiful! My best guess is that it is a mix with some New Hampshire Red in it. As far as its gender I can't see very much, if you could get a pic of more of its tail that would be cool.

 

[Mac14]

Oh, and welcome to BYC!

 

[donrae]

When did you find it? Meaning how old is it?

I believe it's a rooster, age will help confirm. A better profile shot will help also.

Why do you think it's a rooster?

 

[lbegley]

Thanks so much! I think you're right about the New Hampshire Red in there. Pooky is about 2 months old. The friendliest and most adventuresome of our three chickens, I'll be super sad if we need to send her/him away.
Here are some better photos:

 

[lbegley]

I've been reading a lot, but still don't know much about chickens, so this forum is very helpful! My rooster suspicions are mostly due to the difference is body shape from the two other chickens,, maybe that's just breed? The mystery chicken is slimmer and more angular... larger comb, and the tail is longer in comparison and points out and down, rather than up like the hens. Is it wrong to compare this chicken to two different breeds of the same age as a gender gauge?

 

[akcountrygrrl]

Different breeds have different body types so you can't really use that to determine sex. The deep, splotchy red over the wings and back plus what appears to be pointy saddle feathers coming in are the biggest tells that this is a cockerel. Given the build, carriage, and length of tail, I would guess he is part Phoenix.

 

[lbegley]

Thanks! This is all very helpful. I'll hold out hope for a while longer, before I decide what to do with Pooky (my 3 year old named him, and she's going to be bummed). I know there's a community of cock fighters in my area (probably where this little guy came from) and I wouldn't want my little friend to be mistreated if I took him to the feed store to be sold. If I send him off to someone who will slaughter him humanely, is there a time limitation to that? Do people want older chickens for meat? And would the breed be a factor in that (he doesn't seem too meaty).
Even though it's not legal, lots of neighbors have roosters here, so noise isn't really a problem (it's already very noisy!). Aside from breaking the law, noise, and no eggs are there other draw backs to just keeping him? He is very sweet now, will that change as he gets older?

 

[cluckcluckluke]

I'm defiantly not a pro, I'm actually a novice, but I'm going to say 100% rooster, sorry but those tail feathers big give away and you can see the shiny saddle feathers. Yeah that tail gives it all away it is so big and long, i love it, but if you have to get rid of him, advertise that you have a rooster for sale or free outside of your no rooster area and some one will have him.

 

[haweshome]

Nankin cockerel