Sex change!??

[bubblez89]

We have 3 little bantams hens in our small flock Hetty (golden Sebright 3.5 years old), Nugget (old english game bantam 3.5 years old) and Popcorn (silver Sebright 2.5 years old). Our hens are super friendly, love cuddles and squat for us and the pet dogs lol. We never hatched them for great egg laying, we just wanted some pretty bantams with the added bonus of fresh eggs. Nugget is the worst layer of all, Hetty when she lays does one every other day BUT popcorn is amazing she will lay an egg a day for months on end. Until recently that is! Popcorn out of the blue stopped laying eggs about 3 weeks ago and she isn’t moulting and it’s the middle of summer so very strange for her. Then last week I heard her crowing like a rooster! I should also point out Popcorn was raised by Hetty and Nugget and is bottom of the pecking order with Hetty being the top hen! So obviously I did some good old google research and most say crowing hens is common with a dominant hen which Popcorn isn’t! Then the internet says there is a chance she is physically becoming a male due to damage to her left ovary. Anyone else had this happen in their flock? I know a friend of mine over the last 15 years had 3 pheasants change sex suddenly out of no where so it’s obviously possible in birds. I should point out I have seen each of my hens lay eggs several times so I know they are 100% egg laying hens

 

[Kiki]

Hens can not turn in to a rooster. That is nonsense.

 

[sourland]

A hen doesn't 'physically become a male', but ovarian malfunction can cause a hen to take on the appearance of a rooster. 'She' will not be able to fertilize eggs, but will appear as a male. I am 80 years old and have been around fowl my entire life. I have seen it happen once in a friend's flock.

 

[bubblez89]

https://www.livescience.com/amp/13514-sex-change-chicken-gertie-hen-bertie-cockerel.html

 

[Cazook]

Default sex (hormonally) in chickens is male, a damaged ovary can inhibit the hormones needed to present as male. A hen with damaged ovary can sometimes begin acting and appearing like a cockerel, even growing spurs. But they are not sexually male, they cannot fertilise hens, even if they show mounting behaviour etc.

 

[bubblez89]

Default sex (hormonally) in chickens is male, a damaged ovary can inhibit the hormones needed to present as male. A hen with damaged ovary can sometimes begin acting and appearing like a cockerel, even growing spurs. But they are not sexually male, they cannot fertilise hens, even if they show mounting behaviour etc.

Thank you! That’s exactly what I thought so physically they become males but not able to reproduce but also no longer able to lay eggs which is a huge shame if this is what is going on inside Popcorn right now. Also a shame it’s not happening to Nugget as at least she would make a handsome cockerel lol

 

[MeliticusBee]

This kind of thing also happens whenever there is no rooster....or the rooster isn't doing his "job" of protection and such. Could be that's why she was on the bottom of the peck as the others knew she wasn't "normal"

 

[bubblez89]

This kind of thing also happens whenever there is no rooster....or the rooster isn't doing his "job" of protection and such. Could be that's why she was on the bottom of the peck as the others knew she wasn't "normal"

Well she certainly isn’t normal lol she seems to crave human affection. Maybe she’s just extremely confused! Time will tell. I had read that if it’s just a dominant crow then she should still be laying eggs and it will pass with her next moult. I think it will be a waiting game but at least it’s documented on here and if she does become a he I can update this thread. At least the information is there for anyone else it may happen to

 

[FatChicksDigMe]

Well she certainly isn’t normal lol she seems to crave human affection. Maybe she’s just extremely confused! Time will tell. I had read that if it’s just a dominant crow then she should still be laying eggs and it will pass with her next moult. I think it will be a waiting game but at least it’s documented on here and if she does become a he I can update this thread. At least the information is there for anyone else it may happen to

Is she still crowing?