rooster or hen?

[birdfreaks]

Hello..i'm probably posting in the wrong section, for i am new to BYC...if so, sorry about this...

This is my R.I. RED; is Aschendo a rooster or a hen? he/she started making half-crowing noises, but is only about 3 months of age, give or take... and started doing this at around 2 and 1/2 months. i thought i read somewhere it took them 5ish months to start learning how to crow. i also heard hens sometimes will half-crow and their feathers start to look "manish" if thrown in amongst a bunch of girls, taking the role of a rooster. is this true? if so, that would make some sense, for Aschendo saw four flock-mates get killed and another attacked by a weasel. we have fixed the weasel issue in the coop where it was getting in, and no more attacks since...but perhaps it allowed some super-instincts to take over? or perhaps she is just a he? i notice his/her feathers starting to curve at the tips, but they are obviously still growing out...the wing feathers appear round to me, not pointed...but the curved tail-feathers i'm guessing means it's a rooster? Still too early to tell? As you can tell, my impatience is getting the best of me. Whatever the case, this one's top dog in the flock. Is quite bossy & Rarely has anybody pick on him/her.would really love some opinions on this!!!

- thanks!

ps. dont mind the random rabbit in the photo...Despite a fence dug 6" underground, Bo still gets herself into trouble, runs away, hides, and then later after i've given up, digs and escapes to go and bother the neighbors, if i give her the entire back yard during her playtime hours. Aschendo loves to visit her.

 

[Kiki]

looks like a girl to me.

 

[Sourland]

pullet

 

[Tessieo]

I also have a concern about my Rhode Island Red. "She" is about 10-11 weeks old and was purchased from my local Bomgaars. This is my third year with chickens and I have a mixed flock with 11 other hens. My hens are pets, they are all calm and are handled daily. The thought of a rooster scares me a little as I have heard they are aggressive. I have children and my 8 year old refers to himself as the chicken whisperer He will be devistated is I rehome him but would be equally devistated if he isn't able to hang out in the coop with them because of an aggressive rooster. Any one have any thoughts?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Tessieo
Oh dear. Buy some Kleenex, there is devastation headed your way!
That one is a boy.
If I had an 8 year old I would not keep a roo as when/if he goes to flogging he is aiming for the face or back of the head.

Man that stinks. Maybe find a local breeder that has started pullets and he can choose 3. (I never bring in less then 3 for the chickens own safety) Maybe a nice big breed like giant fluffy Cochin's?

Edited.......

Wait........wait........ Blowing the pic up really big......I am NOT seeing what I thought I saw.
Neck feathers ARE round!!!! Saddle feathers look OK too!!!!! You just may be OK.

 

[farmerjan]

@Tessieo...Sorry to say but if this poult is 10-12 weeks old then it is a rooster. Not all roosters are aggressive. The best thing to do is to treat it as kindly as you do the hens. And wait and see. Some breeds are more aggressive. I don't see RI reds as being overly aggressive, but individual birds are just that, individuals. A single rooster will not have a reason to want to fight like if there were more than one to establish dominance. As long as the kids aren't mean to them, he will hopefully respond just the way the hens do. He might be more protective but not always.

 

[farmerjan]

Birdfreaks, pullet in my opinion.

 

[Tessieo]

I hope you are right, this one is part of a group of 4 that we added this year so if we end up rehoming we still have the other three little ones. They are in a separate, smaller coop than my older birds. I haven't started to introduce them yet. I have a bantam Cochin that is quite naughty to new birds so we go very slow. It's funny how my smallest chicken rules the roost.

Tessieo
Oh dear. Buy some Kleenex, there is devastation headed your way!
That one is a boy.
If I had an 8 year old I would not keep a roo as when/if he goes to flogging he is aiming for the face or back of the head.

Man that stinks. Maybe find a local breeder that has started pullets and he can choose 3. (I never bring in less then 3 for the chickens own safety) Maybe a nice big breed like giant fluffy Cochin's?

Edited.......

Wait........wait........ Blowing the pic up really big......I am NOT seeing what I thought I saw.
Neck feathers ARE round!!!! Saddle feathers look OK too!!!!! You just may be OK.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I LOL since my bantam Cochin is also the big cheese here.

I cannot imagine not having her though.
I find the lest dramatic way to introduce birds is to wait for her to go broody and let her raise the chicks.

 

[Brbnjch]

I feel like I'm not alone in this. I bought my first set of 'girls' from Tractor Supply about mid-march so they are 2 months old. Well I have one that I thought was just a fast grower but this morning it sounded like she was trying to crow. She also has a big comb and is aggressive towards the others when they get near food and water. So I'm starting to think I have a rooster. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.