4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Madchook]

Hi peeps, been a while since I could get on here, for some reason my log-in hasn't been working until now(still been lurking of course)

Anyway, 3 weeks ago I got a new chook, this is Diego. I got him presuming he is a boy (hence the name), my childminder hatched some in May and the boys would have been dispatched...like I needed much persuasion lol . His two siblings are much smaller anyway-they are type cross what I think is a rhode island cockeral - (all three interestingly came out white, must be a throwback to the light sussex). My childminder came over again yesterday and she says she really can't tell and he might be a hen. He has only just stopped cheeping (my girls were laying by his age and not babies at all!) -so there are nothing macho about his noises,just the odd half hearted squawrk when he gets a pasting from Jelly. He has big legs, is as tall as the girls but much less *fat* (really must stop giving them bread!). He has an upright front end, long upright neck and quite developed wattles which makes me think boy but displays no male behaviour at all really and has no spurs developing that I can see ...0h and tail shape looks still pretty henny to me?? (but I have never had a boy before)... so here he is -what do you all think? I may have to change his name to Dora?

 

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Also, he has taken himself into the cube the last 2 nights (rather his eglu) and last night I left the cube open as normal and this morning he was cowered under the glug (although they were leaving him alone until I was in view-the prospect of treats I guess). He was fine, just ruffled, he is very submissive so it is nowhere near as nasty as when I introduced Toffee to the other 2 girls. Tonight I left him in again but I closed the cube and will let them straight out to FR - should I let him roost with them do you think? I figureed if he felt ok enough to go in with them it must be a good sign???

 

And finally...moulting, I think one of mine is, there are suddenly alot of feathers around and you can see them coming away-however she is still laying I think? They are about 16 months old and they haven't moulted or stopped laying until recently. Is that normal?

 

Thanks!

Maddy xxx

[Egluntyne]

How old is s/he?

 

If s/he has only just stopped cheeping, then that is an impressive comb.

[Madchook]

That pic is 2 weeks old and s/he was hatched in May although all I remember is that it was before I had my baby (21st). So he is at least 16 weeks..and was still cheeping until this week yes! I just would have thought by 4 months he would be more....manly But you are right, he has big facial appendages Is like men, it takes them an extra 10 yrs to grow up? My friend was horrified by his name and said he would end up gay....I am starting to wonder

[Egluntyne]

Hmmm.....if s/he is only 16 weeks old then I'd guess boy, based on the comb.

 

A better view of the wattles would help. With the Eglu being red, they don't shoe up very clearly.

 

The legs are rather chunky too.

 

Are the ends of the hackle feathers pointy or round?

 

All will be revealed in the fullness of time.

[Madchook]

And where be the hackle ? If you mean on the neck, yep pointy I think (his colouring makes it hard to see). When do spurs grow then?

I was pretty convinced he was a he, but my cm made me wonder since she has a flock of 20 and hatches most years so I figured she should know! I'm glad you think he is a he too, since he has already learnt his name! Can't wait for the cock-a-doodling (bet that's not been said often on this forum ).

Maddy xxx

[Egluntyne]

Yep....on the neck. Sounds like Diego was a good choice of name.

[craftyhunnypie]

He / she looks like my Amber star - Peggy Sue. She was of a manly build at first, but lays a wonderful egg daily & will squat if you just look at her...floosy!

I'm going to say girl at this moment, as I'd have thought it would be trying to crow by now.

 

Emma.x

[BeckyBoo]

My chicks were born in May and the boys look just like your Diego, whereas my girls have next to nothing. Nice to hear of a boy being rescued though, well done you

 

Mrs B