oatley Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 In my opinion (no expert - but we do keep both boys and girls) - they all look male. There are several behaviours that are specific to cockerels which are possibly very telling more so than colour at this stage. They dance - it is like a sort of stamping with slight sideways motion. Once they are sexually mature they will do this - often when the first come out in the morning and again if they meet any ladies. When the crow they will often try and get to a high place - on a box or a branch, then they sort of crane their necks so they are long and slightly crooked. The sound is very definitely cock-a-doo-doo or cock-a-doodle-doo. There is a loud sound that the girls make when the raise their heads high - often after laying an egg or if their is something that spooks them. Their neck is long but straight up and not crooked. The sound (which cockerels also make if there is danger) is loud and is boc-boc-boc-URK. Or just boc-URK. Boys will fight. If you have three boys they will DEFNITILEY be fighting by now. Mine started at about 6 weeks. Not vicious warlike fighting perhaps, but more sizing each other up, facing up to each other and bobbing their heads up and down. occasionally jumping at each other. This does settle down in groups of males as they establish who is the alpha male. If you have one boy, he will in time offer his food and treats to any girls first. Picking it up and dropping it again and making a boc boc boc noise. I hope that this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Just found this thread & wondered if you'd made any progress with your "boy" ? Edit: after reading the description of a hen's "crowing" I remembered I recorded one of mine ages ago. Don't know if it'll help ! http://s243.photobucket.com/albums/ff181/Vvicki/?action=view¤t=Picture003.flv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsallen08 Posted August 14, 2008 Author Share Posted August 14, 2008 Hi guys n gals Thanks for all your help. I am completely stumped with this one! The shound is definately more like a hen than a cock. But hackle feathers are very pointy but then they don't fight??? Husband is taking all 3 to breeder tonight to have a look for sure as he can tell with pubic bones too? I am betting 2 are boys and 1 is a hen. I think??? May be in for a suprise tonight i think! We are really annoyed with breeder though as although its not his fault, come on - 3 chickens and all male? He has a couple of birds there he says we can swap with if they are cockerels but still annoying that we have fed them for so long! On the plus side he can butcher them so may be dinner if not! (Sorry to offend all those keeping chooks as pets - ours were never bought for that intention. Eggs and meat! Sorry!) I'll keep you all posted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Pimlott Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 looking at them all together i really wouldnt like to say... They are not RIR's wrong colours shape etc & size neither large or bantam. Looking at the first pic i would be inclined to say boy only looking at the tail its looking as it would be more girl shape hmmmmm!!! If you are not happy insist that they breeder take them back & buy from a reputable breeder where you know what your getting. In a group of females the more dominant female can take on a male role, treading & making a crowing type noise, if this is the case you may find the bird may not lay. But if off same parents or not the birds are individulas not clones & would not necessarily be the same.. if your not happy take them back. No use bringing them on & finding in 4 months time they have to go it would be so upsetting for you and the birds. best of luck Karen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsallen08 Posted August 16, 2008 Author Share Posted August 16, 2008 My hen was a cockerel! Took all 3 older girls and the two with the dark green feathers on tail were both male! Breeder said he was shocked as he has never made mistake before! Hmm... When he put them in with his hen they started strutting and showing off so definately male but never noticed it with our other hens! Sooo... we have come back with one original, Nuggets (actually the nicest) and a pekin bantam! Randomly. She is just so gorgeous and cute. She is definately more of a pet though because she lets you pick her up and have cuddles and is really chilled! Later today we are picking up 2 exbatts as well from a local lady so then we will be up to 7 hens! And hopefully some eggs will start appearing now! We added the bantam to the coop last night when all in bed and she just settled straight in. As the two dominant 'hens' have now left they all need to reestablish order so not worried about lil pekin! She is the same size as the marans and wyandotte ATM as they are still really young so she has befriended them. I am on constant watch for any trouble kickin off byt so far this mornin all okay and having breakfast together! (P.S Roastie came home with us but strung up for dinner whereas Stirfry was left at the breeders! The breeder did give us all our money back and the pekin so not a bad deal and the hen/cocks had a good life while it lasted! Sorry if eating them offends anyone. ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 Glad you have managed to sort things out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 Glad to know your instincts were right . Congratulations on your new girl and your ex-batts (when you get them!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jools+6 Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 do you not think with a lot of animals its the same .... males tend to be leggier and leaner ? us girls are " plumper " and "girlier " someone really has to genetically modify this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsallen08 Posted August 16, 2008 Author Share Posted August 16, 2008 Jools you have a very good point (and have just described myself and mrallen very very well!). Im up for a bit of genetic re-modification! Okay, we have just been to pick up the ex-batts! They have been on a field and are looking amazing for saying they were only released 6 weeks ago! Ive seen some in really bad ways so was expected the worst actually. They are quite small but feathers growing well and comb not enlarged or drooping. We put them straight in with others to see what would happen. They have all accepted bantam really well with only a few pecks all day. So we put them in and they went straight for food and had a walk around and the others just watched really! Not fussed at all! I think with the 2 cockerels gone they are all even and will all be looking for 1 dominant one which will be Nuggets as she is easily the biggest and oldest original now. Can't wait to see if they lay tomorrow, apparently they have been laying really well on the fields but I know they will have to settle in first! So now the hen count is up to 7... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 That sounds promising . I hope they continue to get on so well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
