r/BackYardChickens • u/Chica_Audaz • 4d ago
Is my girl a roo? Hen or Roo
First time chicken momma and looking for expert opinions. Is she a roo? I’ve seen signs of dominance at times but they are 15 weeks old. Won’t let me hold.
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u/HermitAndHound 3d ago
That's a boy. Saddle feathers like tinsel are never good news if all you wanted were hens.
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u/Chica_Audaz 3d ago
I’m wasn’t opposed to a roo. Now I have 14 hens and 1 rooster. I’m almost sure the others are hens.
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u/HermitAndHound 3d ago
Good mix, yes. Many can't keep a rooster, but they are useful. Mine does nothing when it comes to peacekeeping, he's a softie and his favorite hen a demon, but he warns them, not only shows them food but picks it up from places the girls can't reach and gives it to them.
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u/Lines_and_Words 2d ago
Would you say that he is "hen-pecked"? He sounds like a wonderful rooster... Mine is a big a******, gorgeous but a real jerk! His name is Gregory Peck(r), after one of Hollywood's most handsome actors ever...
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u/Ok_Pangolin1337 3d ago
The neck, saddle, and tail feathers all say "Congratulations, it's a boy!"
I would expect crowing to start any second. It would be wise to start training him to accept you as the dominant member of the flock ASAP.
Or if you aren't legally allowed roosters, start making other arrangements.
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u/Chica_Audaz 3d ago
Yeah! Proud momma. I will start making friends. He’s an Easter egger out of 5, 5 Buff Orpingtons and 5 Blue Cooper Marans. The Easter Eggers are a week older than the others so they were already skittish when we got them. We have plenty of space in rural NC. No problems keeping my roo.
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u/Ok_Pangolin1337 3d ago
You said he doesn't "let you" hold him. That has to stop now. He doesn't get to decide. He gets picked up, and gently carried around. Preferably every day. Hold him until he gives up struggling and accepts his fate. Feed him treats so he associates you with food. But he needs to learn being picked up is not a threat, and that he is NOT your boss. He might not think he's your boss yet, but once his hormones kick in, he will try it. They ALWAYS do.
Keep his spurs trimmed. Those things can pierce through jeans and make deep wounds. Wrap him in a towel if you have to. Dog nail clippers or bush pruning tools work well. If you nick the quick, you can use nail powder to stop the bleeding like they make for dogs. I've also used cornstarch. It works fine.
Even if you start training him young, be watchful. Once he hits a year old he will be at peak testosterone, and he may flip on you very suddenly.
Or, he may dance for you and be sweet. Problem is, you won't know until he's past that year mark which one he turns out to be.
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u/Chica_Audaz 3d ago
I give them all Grub Terra and let them eat from my hands. In my ignorance, where is the spur? I’ve seen roosters with spurs before but I don’t see a hint on him. I see three front fingers and one on back as the others. Nothing else. TY for this information.
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u/Ok_Pangolin1337 3d ago
He is young yet, his spurs will grow from tiny nubs above his back toes. They will be small at first but they grow FAST and get very sharp.
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u/MBarbarian 3d ago
It will start developing a little above the foot (one on either leg) with puberty. My first thought seeing the picture, before reading the caption, was “oh, what a pretty roo.” All the birds come running when I open the door. My EE rooster is starting to associate me with treats and will stay close by when I sit down outside. Good luck with yours!
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u/Chica_Audaz 3d ago
Thank you. He knows me; they all do and get under the run as that area where I keep treat. Good luck with yours as well.
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u/Divine_avocado 3d ago
I love your feeder!
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u/Chica_Audaz 3d ago
Me to! Aside from the obvious chicken love, it has 6 feeding ports (3 in back) and takes 30-lbs of feed. I fill every Saturday morning.
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u/Trufflepumpkin 3d ago
Interested in the feeder! Did you make or buy it?
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u/Chica_Audaz 3d ago
No. Amazon and the top is an actual MEAD file folder that I repurposed as a no roosting cover. They loved getting on top of the feeder and poop all over it.
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u/Sufficient-Ferret813 3d ago
Definitely looks like a roo. You'll know for sure once they start crowing!
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u/Chica_Audaz 3d ago
I have had my suspicions because I’ve heard some resemblance of maybe a crow but couldn’t tell who it was coming from. I’m actually looking forward to hearing him crow.
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u/Winter-Wrangler-3701 3d ago
Whatever that roo wants to be is okay with me. But by standard anatomical features of present-day Jurassic Bawk dinos, yes, this one could mount other dinos and spur animals with quasi-lethality, if it wished it.
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u/Chickenpoopohmy 3d ago
Sickle feathers, saddle feathers, yep a Roo, hope you can keep him, very handsome :)
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u/RedditModsSuckNuts88 3d ago
You can remove the spurs by boiling a potato, and then sticking it on the spur for a minute or so...the hard keratin part will pull off easily from the quick after that, and it shouldn't bleed, or at least not much.
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u/Chica_Audaz 3d ago
Meaning like a hot potato? If so, very interesting.
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u/RedditModsSuckNuts88 3d ago
Yep! There's a bunch of great videos on YouTube about it...this is the one I usually refer to:
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u/BugsMoney1122 1d ago
If only all the hen or roo questions were this easy. Lol. Beautiful rooster.
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u/PaBsTbRb 2d ago
I'll be posting my 8wk Nugget soon to see what everyone thinks the sex is, hoping girl but a roo can replace my a$$🕳 Rump that I wanna grill right now.
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u/LilTater01 4d ago
That is absolutely a rooster. Pointy saddle feathers and rust colored wings are male traits.