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Posted: 5/6/2023 4:45:41 PM EDT
We got three chickens for our daughters to show at 4H. They were sexed and all three are Easter egger females. We got them in February and the show is this upcoming Tuesday. As they’ve grown, one in particular is extra feisty and protective. Looks kinda rooster-ish to our untrained eyes. So what say the experts about the red one? Male or female? We’ll ask at the 4H event and see what they say but I figured I’d pose the question here (it was actually Mrs. JKnight’s idea).
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Posted: 5/6/2023 5:15:06 PM EDT
[#1]
The small wattle makes it bit hard to be positive it's a rooster. If it is, the wattle and comb will grow quickly as it ages.
I had an ameraucana rooster a couple years ago, 'feisty' is being kind, the hens have a great attitude, but the rooster I had would go after my border collie, viscous bird. ETA corrected my terminology |
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Posted: 5/6/2023 6:59:01 PM EDT
[#2]
I would say rooster, mainly due to the tail feathers, but here's some old pics for reference.
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Posted: 5/6/2023 7:37:33 PM EDT
[#3]
So far, this is the only one to start growing a comb. The tail feathers and neck feathers also seem rooster-like. Those rooster pictures above seem to fit pretty well.
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Posted: 5/6/2023 11:37:26 PM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryQuoted: So far, this is the only one to start growing a comb. The tail feathers and neck feathers also seem rooster-like. Those rooster pictures above seem to fit pretty well. Comb is one of the worst indicators. I have a hen with a comb that puts my roosters to shame. Look at the hackle feathers, compare to the known hens. Roosters hackle feathers are pointed, hens rounded. Pay attention to the actual feather, not the pattern of the feather. |
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Posted: 5/8/2023 5:51:25 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Comb is one of the worst indicators. I have a hen with a comb that puts my roosters to shame. Look at the hackle feathers, compare to the known hens. Roosters hackle feathers are pointed, hens rounded. Pay attention to the actual feather, not the pattern of the feather. The hackle feathers initially look pointed but under close observation that’s a trick of the pattern. They have the same shape as the other two (rounded). |
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Posted: 5/8/2023 5:56:35 PM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted: The hackle feathers initially look pointed but under close observation that’s a trick of the pattern. They have the same shape as the other two (rounded). Sounds highly likely it's a hen. The pattern is why I said look carefully. I'm not sure why but some of them have a pattern that makes it look pointed but the actual feather is round. It also sounds a lot like my hen with a large comb. Her pattern looks pointed but the features are round. She lays eggs, and she goes broody just like a regular hen... |
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Posted: 5/8/2023 6:05:25 PM EDT
[#7]
looks like a roo, I assume its not crowing yet, give it time as its almost old enough.
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Posted: 5/8/2023 6:09:11 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Sounds highly likely it's a hen. The pattern is why I said look carefully. I'm not sure why but some of them have a pattern that makes it look pointed but the actual feather is round. It also sounds a lot like my hen with a large comb. Her pattern looks pointed but the features are round. She lays eggs, and she goes broody just like a regular hen... I appreciate the help! Had you not advised looking beyond the pattern, I never would have scrutinized enough. Looks like we’ve got 3 hens which is a relief. Our oldest daughter wasn’t keen on the idea of eating her chicken if it turned out to be a rooster. She’s ok with eating other chickens (like the store bought ones I grilled last night) - just not hers 
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Posted: 5/8/2023 10:20:50 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I appreciate the help! Had you not advised looking beyond the pattern, I never would have scrutinized enough. Looks like we’ve got 3 hens which is a relief. Our oldest daughter wasn’t keen on the idea of eating her chicken if it turned out to be a rooster. She’s ok with eating other chickens (like the store bought ones I grilled last night) - just not hers I hear you...just took my son's steer to the butcher today. He chose not to help load him, couldn't bear to look him in the eyes knowing what was to come. To be honest, it broke my heart a little. He was a sweet guy raised from a bottle and spent a few weeks in our garage bc he was sick. My son latched onto him and named him, he was a big 1300 lb puppy. |
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Posted: 5/10/2023 6:23:18 AM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I hear you...just took my son's steer to the butcher today. He chose not to help load him, couldn't bear to look him in the eyes knowing what was to come. To be honest, it broke my heart a little. He was a sweet guy raised from a bottle and spent a few weeks in our garage bc he was sick. My son latched onto him and named him, he was a big 1300 lb puppy. That’s always hard at first. I remember the first calf my dad bought to raise. Got sick and died that winter and my siblings and I took it pretty hard. I hope your boy does ok with it and doesn’t get sad at dinner. |
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Posted: 5/10/2023 6:27:00 AM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted: That’s always hard at first. I remember the first calf my dad bought to raise. Got sick and died that winter and my siblings and I took it pretty hard. I hope your boy does ok with it and doesn’t get sad at dinner. Thankfully we don't have to eat him. We filled our freezer with one that went to the butcher last month. That guy was a jerk that nobody liked and the kids didn't pick a name for him. The named one is sold to a few coworkers. I think it's definitely much harder with bottle calves that you form a bond with. I have no problem sending the beef steers that were weaned on their mother out in the pasture. They don't ever form that bond bc they form it with their mother. |
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Posted: 5/10/2023 6:31:15 AM EDT
[#12]
Update: had the chicken show yesterday. Oldest daughter took 4th place in showmanship and 2nd daughter took 5th place in best of breed. This was in their respective runs of about 10 and not the overall (had about 200 chickens there so it was a big event and took a while for the judges to get through them all!) 3rd daughter didn’t win anything but I’m awarding her for “Most Brave” because she did a great job showing her chicken at only 5 and held onto her despite getting a big scratch on her arm.
One of the judges said chicken in question was a rooster and a couple other people commented on it. I guess the jury is still out but we should know for sure over the next couple of weeks. |
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Posted: 5/10/2023 6:50:43 AM EDT
[#13]
My philosophy is, they’re all roosters till they lay an egg .
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Posted: 5/11/2023 6:07:05 AM EDT
[#14]
I'm going with it's a rooster. The tail tells the tale.
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Posted: 5/29/2023 9:38:45 AM EDT
[#15]
@JKnight
Was it a hen or rooster? |
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Posted: 5/29/2023 9:45:44 AM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I'm going with it's a rooster. The tail tells the tale. |
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Posted: 5/29/2023 11:34:23 AM EDT
[#17]
And you had to share these deep feelings of angst in a tech forum?
Please take that elsewhere. ~Kitties |
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Posted: 5/31/2023 5:37:25 AM EDT
[#18]
@JKnight 100% cock. saddle, hackle, and tail feather all indicate it's a Roo. |
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Posted: 5/31/2023 10:31:36 PM EDT
[#19]
In for the final results.
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Posted: 6/2/2023 12:28:04 PM EDT
[#20]
I say rooster due to attitude.
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Posted: 6/2/2023 9:03:31 PM EDT
[#21]
Sorry it’s taken me a bit to get back, I’ve been out of town for work. Yep, it’s a rooster. I’ll try to get a picture this weekend.
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Posted: 6/4/2023 12:43:13 AM EDT
[#23]
When we lost our rooster a few years back, one of the hens grew spurs and started crowing.
No lie. She morphed. Kind of. I know she was trying to save the species, but if she was their hope, they were in trouble. Just sayin. ETA: We called her the Henster. |
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Posted: 6/4/2023 1:30:44 AM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted: When we lost our rooster a few years back, one of the hens grew spurs and started crowing. No lie. She morphed. Kind of. I know she was trying to save the species, but if she was their hope, they were in trouble. Just sayin. ETA: We called her the Henster.  Attached File |
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Posted: 6/9/2023 6:26:31 AM EDT
[#25]
 Attached FileI took this a few days ago. This morning I was making coffee and he started crowing. We’re trying to find a new home for this guy. |
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Posted: 6/9/2023 6:28:41 AM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: When we lost our rooster a few years back, one of the hens grew spurs and started crowing. No lie. She morphed. Kind of. I know she was trying to save the species, but if she was their hope, they were in trouble. Just sayin. ETA: We called her the Henster. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/420595/R_jpg-2839588.JPG This is the same thing I was thinking when I read that!  |
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