Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Then and now...

...just a mere 9 weeks ago...


and now...


He's a mix between a Barred Rock hen and an Ameraucana rooster (thus the pea comb). He has also started trying to breed his surrogate mother (the silkie). Has anyone seen this kind of behavior out of one so young before? Our Welsummer roo only started breeding with the hens about 2 months ago and he was well over 6 months at the time. The BLRW started between 4-5 months. I was so hoping for a pullet with the dark barring and the dark wash on the legs but with this behavior I think I'm out of luck. No crowing though, but spars with another young silkie roo regularly.....any thoughts?

4 comments:

  1. Wow, I would have guessed a pullet until you described the personality. Our barred rockington (barred rock and buff orpington crosses) pullets are darker than the roos as well. I wonder if it could be hermaphrodite. We had a french copper Marans that looked like a roo but acted like a hen. With her personality, you could tell something was extremely different, maybe that is the same in your case. Unfortunately our Marans died of an unknown cause. Best of luck with your special fellow. ;)

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  2. I would have guessed a pullet too as Leigh said. Although the behavior does sound very roosterish. Good luck with him!

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  3. Sandy-
    Last spring we had 11, count them, 11 roosters who acted like girls and had us all fooled. It took a dominant rooster leaving the farm for them to exhibit any male behavior. As soon as we gave that rooster away, all 11 started crowing and establishing the pecking order, and doing, um, rooster business.

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  4. Hi. Since you were so kind to come visit my blog ( A little farm with a big heart), well, I had to come visit yours.
    Looking at your chickens is like looking at some of mine! I have 2 White Silkies that hatched their own eggs as well as the other hens. And I just recently found out that one of the babies is a rooster ( he is half Barred Rock and half Ameracauna) who I named Jeff Lewis.
    And I also found it funny that in this post you mentioned that a young one tried having his way with the others. Well, Jeff Lewis has tried getting with several of his siblings! Jeff Lewis will be leaving the farm fairly soon.

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