Cinnamon Posted March 24, 2010 Share Posted March 24, 2010 Just been watching my hens in the garden & I noticed that my 3-4 year old Cream Legbar hen Clover has a really pronounced spur on one leg. Her comb is also big & her watles are massive & dangly.................... She isn't crowing yet though! Hens can turn sex,can't they? Or did I dream that one up? I have 3 blue layers & have been getting 2 blue eggs a day & thought one was from Clover, with Dandelion having a break,but maybe not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lydia Posted March 24, 2010 Share Posted March 24, 2010 No you didn't dream it. Hatpin had an impressive set of spurs, wattles and comb. She never actually crowed but could be a loud little so and so in her heyday. Interestingly as soon as Hatpin died, just a day or two later Trilby grew a set of spurs. She doesn't have the headgear to match and is such a mild mannered thing that I think she'd be too embarrassed to crow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alet_chicken Posted March 24, 2010 Share Posted March 24, 2010 Hi, I think it's not all that unusual for hens to grow spurs. Of my two leghorns, Annie (the dominant one) has perfectly smooth legs, while her sister Ethel has a small set of spurs. Both of them lay every day. Both of them went broody last summer too (fortunately not at the same time, as they can be very feisty little so-and-so's). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 24, 2010 Share Posted March 24, 2010 One of my Pepperpots has a cracking set of spurs. Still lays like a good'un and hardly a peep out of her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted March 24, 2010 Share Posted March 24, 2010 I think in extreme cases it can be due to fluctuating hormone levels as they age, I suppose the balance of male and female hormones determines how far they 'turn' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted March 24, 2010 Share Posted March 24, 2010 One of my Pepperpots has a cracking set of spurs. Still lays like a good'un and hardly a peep out of her. We have a hen with inch long spurs as well - she's called Attila the Hen and is really nasty! She doesn't crow and she lays well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 I think in extreme cases it can be due to fluctuating hormone levels as they age, I suppose the balance of male and female hormones determines how far they 'turn' If their one functioning ovary packs up they can develop the characteristics of the rooster, including crowing, plumage and aggression. Not very common. Used to be thought of as witchcraft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 One of my Pepperpots has a cracking set of spurs. Still lays like a good'un and hardly a peep out of her. We have a hen with inch long spurs as well - she's called Attila the Hen and is really nasty! She doesn't crow and she lays well. I know her well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
