Worried that 'Rosie the Hen' is a roo! (Partridge PR)

[scanaday]

We purchased 6 chicks back in the first of May. That makes them 22 weeks old or about five months. There have been no eggs yet. They were all Plymouth Rocks, 2 'red'(partridge) 2 white, and 2 barred. We got them from 'mypetchicken.com'. One of the red's died in less than 24 hours, and we replaced her with an aracona from the local feed store that was approximately (within a few days) the same age. The 'red' is the bird in question. She is bigger and definitely the 'top bird' of the flock. This morning, when my daughter and husband went out to 'let them out' for the day, they thought they heard 'a crowing like sound' (actually my daughter heard it from her bedroom, before she went out). But we have peacocks in the neighborhood, though not terribly close-by, so it's hard to tell. We have been suspicious of her sex for several weeks, due to 'her' size and plumage, but are just unsure. I'll try to get some pictures posted here in a bit. I'm a newby, and am not famous for being good at posting pictures. wish me luck.

this is Sparrow (aracona -sp?), we love her 'cheek plumage' thought this picture showed it really well'

We are also a tad concerned about the larger of the two barred's we got, mostly just because of the size difference between them. The larger one (that we are concerned about) is in the foreground there, on the second shot.

 

[devin0]

i'm guessing it's a roo based on the size, comb/wattles and tail. The neck plumage looks roo-ish, too.

 

[CoopCrazy]

Roo you can tell by the tail feathers..

 

[Katy]

Yep, you have a roo.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Yup, rooster.

 

[scanaday]

When I went out to shoot the pictures this morning, all doubt was removed, 'she' had not had those extra tail feathers the last time I looked at 'her'. Bother. The kids love her so. We have to find a home for 'her' where they will NOT eat 'her'!!!

 

[okiehen]

Yes the red one is a rooster &
the barred looks to be a hen.

 

[akcountrygrrl]

Yep, have to agree... The "red" is a roo and the barred a pullet. Sparrow is an Easter Egger pullet. A lot of hatcheries (and feed stores) sell Easter Eggers as Araucana or Ameraucana. Easter Eggers are a result of a cross between Araucana or Ameraucana and another breed of chicken. The name Easter Egger just means that they have the potential to lay "colored" eggs (blue, green, pink, brown, etc). They are very pretty birds that come in a rainbow of colors just like their eggs.

 

[denim deb]

My Rosie turned out to be Ralph.