Hen that displays male attributes?

[Ted Brown]

Last fall I separated all roosters & cockerels from the females; moved to 3 cages. 4-6 weeks ago I found a egg in a cage that contained 3 birds; obviously a female. Or is it?

I have since moved the pullet to an isolation cage then into an integration brooder space inside the coop where my females reside. Once separated I began to look more carefully and see some strange attributes.

This is a different Chantecler hen; note specifically the comb & waddles, small and more pink than red.

This in the pullet in question; note the difference in comb & waddles, much larger and redder in colour.

I am puzzled.

• To my knowledge this pullet has laid only on egg; she has lived in a small cage so difficult to miss.
• I hatch once per year to increase & augment my layer group;I know she was hatched in late June of 2024
• I have been told that chickens can display attributes from both sexes?

Any, all comments appreciated.

 

[cavemanrich]

The only experience that I have came across,,,,,,, was a hen that acted like a rooster. I only keep hens, since roosters are not allowed in my area.

It was a hen that was mounting my other hens. I used a broom to stop that activity.

It as one of two RIR hens that was doing that. The transgender one lived about 6+ years. The normal hen lived to be over 11 years.
Yes the trans did lay eggs regularly.
So,,,,, maybe you have a chicken that is a little of both genders?



WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Sally PB]

If the bird in question was not able to leave the enclosure and not other birds were in there during the time the egg was laid, I'd say it has to be a female. So maybe it's not a Chantecler?

 

[arianna7]

maybe ask it what its pronouns are? im kinda confused too....

 

[Mrs. K]

Ok, I am confused. The bright red hen, is laying and the light pink one is not? They both look like hens to me?

 

[Ted Brown]

Both are hens, both 12 months old end of June, both hatched from eggs laid by my Chanteclers.

The bright red has laid only one egg (unless others got eaten but no sign of that); I know this as she was confined in a cage with two cockerels for past six months. Also, she has been alone in a segregated brooder space for about a week - no eggs.

The light pink is laying on a regular basis, probably one every 2-3 days.

 

[Mrs. K]

hmm - that surprises me. I would have assumed with that pale comb, that bird had not come into lay. All of your layers have that coloring? How odd, all of mine has always been bright red.

What does the SOP's say about a hen's comb?

I would put the other nearly non layer back into the cull pen. You don't want to keep anything like that. As a cattle rancher, one see a wide variety of behaviors and ability to breed. Some cows calve, give that calf a lick and a promise, and that calf needs to keep up. Others will lick a calf till you think the hair will come off. Her calf is never more that a few feet from her. Some cows always bring a calf in, and some are dry - those make very good hamburger.

Mrs K

 

[Ted Brown]

Agree, I will cull the bright red head.

 

[Ridgerunner]

It was a hen that was mounting my other hens.

maybe ask it what its pronouns are? im kinda confused too....

My take on it is that it has nothing to do with sex. Hens may mount other hens, pullets, and occasionally a cockerel. Roosters may mount hens, pullets, other roosters, and cockerels. Cockerels may mount pullets, hens, or other cockerels. They are not doing this because they want to fertilize eggs. They are doing this as it is dominating behavior. The one on top is dominating the one on the bottom, either willingly or by force.

I practically never see this in a flock with a dominant rooster. I sometimes see a dominant hen mount another hen or pullet, but it is not common. You can see a lot of strange behaviors with a hormonal cockerel. In a flock with a dominant hen sometimes you will see a lower ranked hen squat for a cockerel. If the dominant hen sees that she knocks him off. The cockerel is threatening her dominance if he mounts another hen in her presense. If I separate a dominant rooster from his flock for a while, as soon as I put him back he mates a hen to show them all that he is still dominant.

They are not humans. I don't see any of this as them being twisted, warped, or of questionable sexuality. I see them as chickens demonstrating their dominance in a chicken fashion.

 

[Ted Brown]

@Ridgerunner The comments you reference are off track from my original query which was physical traits (ie comb and waddles) on a pullet that echo those of the male Chantecler.

However, I agree with your thoughts on domination drive being a major determinant of chicken behaviours.

@Mrs. K has steered to the correct decision for my flock - cull. Among my goals are conformance to the SOP, this hen does not meet that criteria.