Baby Chick is a bully- could it be a rooster?

[jessmeagan]

We have 6 baby chicks that are about 4-5 weeks old. They are all starting to get most of their feathers. One of them is already growing the comb/wattle, she is a gray speckled feather footed (sorry I'm bad with breed names) and seems to be a major bully.

She started chest bumping and fly attacking the others about a week ago (which is adorable) but it's escalated to grabbing our 2 black girls by the neck feathers until they scream and run away. She also takes any of the girls choices to fly as an invitation to chase them down and fly at them in return. The stacked firewood is her preferred place to 'roost' through most of the day, like she's watching over the other girls and she often kicks them off her stick if they try and join her.

They are allowed outside in an enclosed run to explore all afternoon so boredom isn't the issue (I've also made the brooder into a playground of sorts with a roost stick, hanging CD's, and containers to climb on). All the girls seem to live in harmony except this one...I'm not sure but am thinking it's a possibility that she could actually be a he? Is there a way to know prior to the crowing? I'm not sure how to deal with it if she's actually just a bully...they are so young!

This is my first time raising them from babes, we only have one full grown girl left (Orpington) who is senior and we want to give her some company and get some egg laying girls back in the flock.

 

[TattooedChicks]

In my short experience with chicks, chest bumping is a big sign, especially the initiator. Sounds like a cockerel to me...

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

These behaviors occur in both genders. At the age of your chicks if you take and post some photos we can help you assess physical gender characteristics

 

[jessmeagan]

Thank you I've uploaded some pics taken this morning. I had to remove her from the brooder and place her outside alone for awhile so the other girls could get a nap in without her- she was pulling st the neck feathers...but only on the black girls that I've seen so far.

 

[junebuggena]

Most definitely a cockerel. Light barring, plus red comb under 10 weeks old, equals male.

 

[jessmeagan]

Darn it- we SO wanted those blue eggs! So then my next question is what to do about it...
Should he be separated from the girls?
We live in a back roads suburban area and have no desire to have a rooster (although allowed), so will have to re-home him. Do we do this once he's full grown?
Does the feed store accept returns if they turn out to be male? I'm guessing not since it's only a 90% chance your getting hens.

 

[junebuggena]

Darn it- we SO wanted those blue eggs!

So then my next question is what to do about it...
Should he be separated from the girls?
We live in a back roads suburban area and have no desire to have a rooster (although allowed), so will have to re-home him. Do we do this once he's full grown?
Does the feed store accept returns if they turn out to be male? I'm guessing not since it's only a 90% chance your getting hens.

Considering that the chick in question is a Cochin, you were never going to get blue eggs from that bird, even if female. With such a small flock, rehome as soon as you can. With the attitude problem he already seems to have, the older he gets, the worse the behavior will get.

 

[TattooedChicks]

There's always the freezer or the stew pot.

 

[jessmeagan]

The freezer?! I've never hears of this...oh my haha! Even though I was born and raised in rural Iowa with a family who owns a meat locker and have seen my fair share of animal killing I don't have it in me. The mr. almost brought home a baby turkey but he knew I would never let him kill it so it would just because a mean pet....I call our 1/4 acre property the" animal sanctuary farm" haha.

I'll have to put an ad up on CL for a fee baby rooster...living in Southern California it may take a week or two but I'm sure someone will take him, even if it's for dinner.

 

[jessmeagan]

Considering that the chick in question is a Cochin, you were never going to get blue eggs from that bird, even if female. With such a small flock, rehome as soon as you can. With the attitude problem he already seems to have, the older he gets, the worse the behavior will get. 

Oh my bad, your right that is the breed!! Ok, I'll put an ad up for a free baby rooster today. Darn it, he's so pretty and I love the fluffy feet! Your right though, it will become hard to re-home once he's full grown and a full on meany!

If we decided to be completely crazy and keep him is the attitude common for male birds and something that will eventually even itself out when he becomes the head of the flock?