I AM A BOY AND I AM SUPPOSE TO BE A GIRL WHAT DO YOU THINK??
This message was edited Jun 26, 2010 2:28 PM
AM I A ROOSTER??
HERE I AM WITH MY SISTERS,THEY DON`T HAVE COMBS LIKE ME!
HERE I AM AGAIN WITH MY FOSTER MOM
It can happen that one pullet has a much larger comb and wattles than the others....but on the face of it, s/he does look rooish.
A few other things that can help are 1) Compare its legs and feet...roos tend to have much thicker and sturdier ones. 2) When they get their adult plumage, at about 4/5 months. the little boys have pointy hackle feathers....there is a technique called "carding" where you use an index or playing card slipped under the neck feathers to see if they are blunt (pullet) or pointy (roo). 3) Do something to startle them, loud noise, throw a hat or frisbee over the group. Pullets tend to hunker down and pull their heads in. Roos (poor dears) will stick their heads up to look.
I had three RIR, one had every rooish trait, the other two were totally pullets. The roo started laying first! So sometimes you just have to wait till the laying begins or the crowing is really annoying (a little crowing can still be a pullet...two of my very broody Dutch Bantams crow regularly when they aren't on eggs).
Well before I read what Catsy said, which was delightful, I said pullet. I still think pullet. Have I ever been wrong...LOL More times than right...LOL. Haystack
Roos also tend to have longer legs, so if it is looking lanky with longer legs it may be a roo. I'm guessing that is a Buff Orpington? They do get large comb and wattles fairly early. Are the wing feathers longer or shorter? When we first got out Buffs, we got 4 hens and a roo. We suspected which was the roo as they started to feather out, his wing feathers were short and the 4 others had long wing feathers. Sure enough, the short wing feathered one was the roo.
We have a Sebright hen that crows, its too funny.
You're right, smedgekles. The girls usually feather out earlier with longer wing feathers and longer tails. In some breeds you can accurately sex them within a couple days of hatching by the wing feathers alone. Barnevelder roos are very slow to feather out and have bare patches on their shoulders forever.
But it is a trait that can vary. There are commercial lines that have been bred for the rapid feathering pullet trait so you can sex chicks without vent sexing....but with the three RIRs I had, the only pullet trait the rooish one had was rapid feathering out. The other two smaller ones feathered out just like roos, but all three were pullets.
It is so frustrating.
Well, fist off.. don't listen to Haystack.. LOL Remember Chuckie?? LMBO GOTCHA Hay!
And if it's any consolation, you could easily stick an R in there and name him Bro. :)
I know, I'm no help... LOL