I have four 9 week old chicks I hand raised since five days old. It was looking to me like I had 2 that were hens (I would have placed wages on it) and 2 that were looking roosterish. Well, wouldn't you know one of the "hens" started crowing last week (good thing I'm not a betting person.)
I know a vet in the area who has a flock of 30 chickens and she let me bring over my Americauna rooster and the two that looked roosterish for her to take a look at.
She took the rooster and gave me a beautiful white hen the same age as my others and this hen is as tame as a dove! I am thrilled!
When she looked at my two roosterish ones, it was inconclusive, so I took them home to wait it out. I really adore them, so I'm glad to hear they are possibly hens.
Here's the rub - the one that crowed have a very small, not very red comb AND rounded neck feathers. The tail was starting to get longer than the others though.
My two roosterish ones - one has a pretty big comb and waddles, the other one is big and has a rose comb. Looking at the feathers, she just couldn't tell.
She showed my one of her laying hens that had a "HUGE" comb and waddles. ****SO Confusing!****
I just want to encourage those out there that are worried about their possible roosters, to just wait it out - unless they are crowing, it's really tough to tell - even for a chicken raising vet!!!
I know a vet in the area who has a flock of 30 chickens and she let me bring over my Americauna rooster and the two that looked roosterish for her to take a look at.
She took the rooster and gave me a beautiful white hen the same age as my others and this hen is as tame as a dove! I am thrilled!
When she looked at my two roosterish ones, it was inconclusive, so I took them home to wait it out. I really adore them, so I'm glad to hear they are possibly hens.
Here's the rub - the one that crowed have a very small, not very red comb AND rounded neck feathers. The tail was starting to get longer than the others though.
My two roosterish ones - one has a pretty big comb and waddles, the other one is big and has a rose comb. Looking at the feathers, she just couldn't tell.
She showed my one of her laying hens that had a "HUGE" comb and waddles. ****SO Confusing!****
I just want to encourage those out there that are worried about their possible roosters, to just wait it out - unless they are crowing, it's really tough to tell - even for a chicken raising vet!!!