Ms

[Nuggywoo]

I got Bob when he was 8wks old on 27 November, I knew he was going to be big so I put him in with my girls when he was the same size as them (about a week later - he was in a separate pen etc). One of the girls took an instant dislike to him but the other two were quite happy with him. (Please bear in mnd he was huge yet still peeped like a baby.) Bob is now almost 4 mths old and the only sign that he is a boy is the 2 slightly longer tail feathers.

Yesterday I caught him and my black girl looking rather guilty and ruffled and today I actually saw him & her in the act

The other boys I've had have been late developers in that department yet had all the cockerel characteristics (face bits, spurs, crowing etc) beforehand. They've been over 6mths old before they even started to seduce the ladeez, whereas Bob looks like a girl but is on the case!

 

Do pure breeds mature in a different way? My other boys were pure whereas Bob is a hybrid, I'm sure there must be something in that?

 

Anyway, just thought I'd share that with you but if anyone has any further thoughts re the pure v hybrid early maturity I'd be very willing to hear it.

[Snowy]

Bless him, he sounds lovely! To be honest, I thought maturity had more to do with size of breed, rather than whether or not they are pure or hybrid. Ie the cochins, brahmas and orps take much longer to mature than say campines or other, smaller breeds. Although he is hybrid, is he part big bird? Pics of him would be great!

[Gallina]

My Brahma cockerel first made an attempt on the girls this week, at 31 weeks. Most of them won't have any and peck him, and he runs away: there are only two he can catch.

 

4 months seems young to me: my cockerel was still just a boy then.

[BeckyBoo]

My buff sussex boy crowed at about 20 weeks ish I think, but my Brahma has only just crowed and he's got to be nearer 30 weeks (and is off to the stud farm this weekend) I've got a Rhode Island Red boy who is about 18 weeks and is obviously a baby although is starting to challenge the Brahma but no sign of him trying it on with the girls yet Once Scruff has gone I expect he'll mature a fair bit, Scruff had to wait til Fred was out of the way to grow up

 

BeckyBoo

[Nuggywoo]

I thought 4mths was too young too but he was 8wks old on 27 Nov so by my reckoning he's 16 wks now, I had no reason to doubt his age when I got him.

 

With regards to Bob's 'breed' he looks like an Amber Star which is RIRx something (as someone on this forum said before). When I can find my camera or phone I'll take some close ups.

[Snowy]

I wonder if he's a male gingernut ranger then? Only the females are ginger, the males are white with a hint of brown (thats how they can be sexed at an early age). The amber star males will also be a different colour to the amber star hens.