Single hen

[Shirl]

I know I've read loads about everyone's hens crowing but I can't help but think one of my pekins is male. "She" crows and started off the smallest of thew 3 and is now the largest and has the most develped comb and wattle. Would you please take a look at my photos and tell me I'm being silly.

 

 

 

 

Don't know why the first one is bigger

Edited September 24, 2007 by Guest

[Cinnamon]

Not much help here, but just to let you know that I was in a similar situation with our late Silkie,Treacle.

I actually to him/her to the vets, & even they couldn't tell without doing some sort of camera procedure, so I decided to wait & see what happened.

It turned out that he/she sadly died before we got a real answer

 

You may have to play the waiting game..........

[lost-sheep]

her/his wattles are quite a bit bigger tham the others aren't they

 

i don't know enough about chickens to tell so i agree with cinnamon. you may have to sit this one out and find out.

[Egluntyne]

What about the hackle feathers?

 

I can't tell very well from your photo, but round ends = girl and pointy ends = bloke as a rule.

[Shirl]

What about the hackle feathers?

 

I can't tell very well from your photo, but round ends = girl and pointy ends = bloke as a rule.

 

I can't really tell. "She" has been molting recently and the head and neck feathers are really rough as though not quite through yet and as you go down the neck they do look very different to the other Pekins' feathers but as much in texture as shape.

[Egluntyne]

Hmmmmm

 

What about startling them....girls are supposed to crouch if you chuck something into the air and boys stand alert and look upwards.

 

Not very scientific.

[Guest]

I'm sorry but I am 99.9% certain it is a male and he will start crowing any time soon!

 

I have some pekin bantams and they are all at the same age...

 

One of them started crowing a couple of weeks ago and he looked identical to yours (apart from the colourings, mine is a partridge).

 

The comb and wattle are bright red like yours and of similar size.

 

The others hens have the same size body but much smaller/lighter coloured combs and wattles.

 

Once he started crowing it didn't take him long to work out his purpose in life and within a week he started chasing the poor ladies around and jumping on top and having his way with them!

[Guest]

Here are some pictures of my bantams (just before they had their wash)...

 

The partridge (with the red developed comb and wattle) is a cockerel

 

 

 

And the Mottled black and white is a hen...

 

 

P.S. Sorry for the big image size...

[lost-sheep]

i love pekins!

 

they look like they are wearinng feathery trousers!

[Egluntyne]

Definitely a chap I would say.

[Shirl]

Well he already crows 1st thing in the morning when in the Eglu and when 1st in the run but I've not heard him any other time. He isn't that loud. When I had the window open I had to ask the kids to be quiet so I could be certain it was him. I could be tempted to keep him although the breeder did say they'd take him back if she turned out to be he.

 

He's the friendliest which I know in Pekins is a sign of males. I think he's beautiful.

[xChicken04x]

Ummmm hate to say it but he looks like a boy. Look at his tale feathers, they dont go into a rond pom-pom like the girls, and the way he is standing he looks as if he know's he looks gorgeous!!!!! Look at those wattles and comb!!! If he isn't loud then keep him!

 

xx

[Shirl]

I kept thinking I was imagining it but his comb and wattles have got much larger over the last week or 2. I'm actually quite excited as long as he stays fairly quiet he'll stay.

 

Thanks everyone