How to raise Backyard Chickens: Re: [CHICKENS-101] Oh dear how can you tell if a hen is a cockerel?

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Re: [CHICKENS-101] Oh dear how can you tell if a hen is a cockerel?

How sad Jennie. Here is info about hackle feathers on cockerels and roosters.

Are the hackle feathers pointy, quite different than the other two?
male
http://oardc.osu.edu/4hpoultry/SkillathonMaterial/CockerelLabeledreduced.pdf

https://www.google.com/search?q=picture+of+cochin+rooster+hackle+feathers&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

The female feathers are more rounded.  
  Cathryn rainbowsilkiesTM  in  Michigan

    From: Jennie <ironbark.woof@yahoo.com.au>
 To: CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com 
 Sent: Saturday, March 2, 2013 10:51 PM
 Subject: [CHICKENS-101] Oh dear how can you tell if a hen is a cockerel?
  
 Hello, I have just returned my lovely pekin cockerel to the breeder for two youngsters,too young to merge as yet.My Australorp looks more like a hen now and will squat down to be patted.After 2 weeks of crowing  before percy went to the breeder, one of my 2 original bantams started to crow, this morning!AhhGGhhh!!!I hope it is too many hormones in a hen and not another cockerel!I know some hens will crow.
  My 2 new Pekins are 10 weeks old ,one is orange and lemon buff and one is blue like percy is.
  I am not naming these birds until I know for sure they're girls!
  I know my cockerel is only a bird but I was so disappointed.(we are not allowed roosters in my region.The suburb next to us you are.)
  
  Sad ,but will recover.
  Jennie,Australia