Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[daxigirl]

Hi out there,

 

Probably another one of my daft questions but do hens grow spurs or is it a boy thing? Sunday R is definitely growing some as I had a good look when washing his/her bum this morning, they were about 4mm. Shouldn't there be cock-a-doodle-dooing by now? I've had Sunny since mid August last year and was about 10 weeks old then.

 

Also (here I go again) when washing Mosschops' bum I noticed that there are what appear to be long narrow saddle feathers in a dark orange colour coming through in front of the tail, please tell me girls can get them? No crowing at all.

 

I suppose that they both have largish legs but then so do I. Am I being an optimistic idiot? I keep trying to find pictures to compare them to.

 

If I kept them would they fight and would they hump the other 4 girlies to bits? (No sign of either happening at present).

Edited January 11, 2011 by Guest

[Plum]

Any pointy hackle feathers ?

[daxigirl]

Can't say they're really pointy but they don't lie flat like the 2 that are definitely girls. Would they be crowing by now or can that kick in anytime?

 

Edited January 11, 2011 by Guest

[Plum]

4mm spurs isn't much, girls do get bumps but the saddle feathers are worrying. Have you any pictures.

So they are about 25-30 weeks so would have thought they'd crow by now

[Mollie333]

Alice didn't crow untill a few months ago. Hes about 40 weeks. We think that he thought he was a girl, the place where we brought him culled all the cockerels. This one was sold as a girl. He'd never seen a male bird in his life.

 

I agree, if you could post some pictures, the comb size may also be bigger if she/he is male.

 

Good luck.

[daxigirl]

Got some pictures for your perusal. I've done it at last, hooray. Not very well though.

 

[Plum]

Sunday R does seem to have a lot of long saddle feathers but I don't know araucanas. Mosschops in the second picture I think you are right seems to have male feathers and spurs

 

Where's Mostin she'll tell you

[tom123]

Both look like definite boys to me A good thing to remember is in a group where there is more than 1 maturing cockerel then one takes the dominant role and matures as normal whereas the rest of the young boys mature much slower and generally grow overnight and mature extremely quickly when the dominant boy is taken away. This could happen with yours.

 

Hope that helps

[Egluntyne]

They look like boys to me too. Sorry.

[Mollie333]

Both look like boys.

[daxigirl]

Oh dear, it's always the ones that are the funniest and most friendly isn't it. I'm trying to console myself with being able to get the something that I want.

 

I'm taking them to the knowledgeable David at the SPR centre near Chichester to have a look at them so I'll know for certain. My neighbours are too close to have any cockrell-doodle-dooing and although they like to hear the hens gently boking they wouldn't accept more than that. Once I know I'll try to find them some homes, Lavender Orp, Barnevelder anyone?

[miller30]

Hi daxi girl the lav orp is deffo a boy i had a few boys sold to me as girls so i seem to be good at sexing boys now i dont know about the barnevelder as never had one im in fareham aswell so your more than welcome to come round and have a look at my orpington girls so you can see the the difference leanne

[daxigirl]

Hello everyone that's been kind enough to take a look, the man at the SPR centre says that they're both boys. He opened the box took one look went they're boys. Then went on to say they shouldn't have been sold to me as hens and the breeders should have known better and was gone. At least I know for sure and can see about finding them a new home. (My mum's quite upset as she has fallen in love with Sunday.)