Chickens fooled us...rooster in with the pullets

[Nicho1]

What a surprise I had when I heard my "pullet" crowing this morning! This just goes to show that it's really difficult to tell about these little critters. The people I bought the chickens from told me that these were pullets...as best they could know. As a rookie chicken keeper, I took their word for it. Then, I posted pictures and asked people for opinions here. Most also indicated that they looked like pullets. Well, so it goes. My plan was to have hens only and when I wanted to try to let them set, I was going to buy fertilized eggs. With only 3 hens, it didn't seem necessary to feed a rooster when I wasn't planning to "need" him. Well, anyway, we live and learn. I just thought those who tried to guess would like to know the outcome. Here's the link for the original picture:

http://www.thetreeofliberty.com/vb/showthread.php?t=74283

[Limner]

That's a hoot! Might still be a pullet.....happens rarely. There's a hormonal imbalance, and the pullet never lays. So it gets turned into soup.

We had an old friend who used to catch me whistling and told me the saying her Mama told her..."A whistling girl and a crowing hen, never come to any good end."

[Martinhouse]

When I first got chickens, I did a lot of reading and asking around.

I heard that if you have no rooster, sometimes one of the hens will assume the role of leader and even grow a larger comb and try to crow.

Maybe that's what's happening here.

The way times are getting, you might hope that you do have a rooster. Unless you can borrow one next Spring from someone who lives safe walking distance from you.

Carol

[Nicho1]

Good info, Limner and Martinhouse. I hope you are right. Another problem has surfaced, though...I like to whistle! :-D My grandfather taught me while I was sitting on his knee. I wouldn't give it up for anything!