RIR Sexing Help

dinosaw

dinosaw

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I am posting this on behalf of Valeriebutterly who would like help in sexing her RIR Big Rube

Her own words are below.

The Croad's companions, in a divided run are a HUGE Rhode Island Red, who I think may be a hermaphrodite, and a bantam Light Sussex, a lovely girl, very tame, very sweet natured and of course tiny and perfect.
If I could post a picture of the RIR for someone who knows to tell me one way or another I would, but if anyone can help me with this I can email them a photo of the bird in question.
There are reasons why I cannot tell if "Big Ruby" is a roo or a pullet, about 20 weeks, no crow, or interest in the other girls, but simply HUGE and loads of hackle feathers all over, no much growth on comb, but long wattles.
Any comments, anyone, please would be welcome.
 

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I'd say he's a boy. Saddle feathers look a giveaway, plus the tail. However, as the tail is not yet anything like fully developed, I'd say he is a late developer, crow to follow! In fact, he looks like a really nice big grower, just one that is 20 weeks old!
 
Mrs. Biscuit, many thanks for your input, Rube did indeed have tail feathers, last one fell out this morning before I took the photos. I think it makes her look more girly.
She sure is a puzzle, a very big girl who makes the Croads look small, and Croads are seriously large hens.
I really don't know what to make of her, only time will tell, and she has had plenty of that to know which way she swings!
Probably, as you say, a very late developer.
I have had this problem before with a couple of purebred Light Sussex, bought from a very good supplier, everything as should be for pullets, no comb or wattle development, and suddenly they both crowed! "nothing new under the sun" as they say. I do hope my Big Rube is a girl though.
 
Big Rube looked at me this morning, and went off like boom box, no messing, no little practises - just hit it. So sadly she cannot stay much longer with me. All has been quiet so far, just the one but enough to get the whole neighbourhood out of bed.
So sadly she cannot stay much longer, a visit to the vet is her fate to be PTS.
I will advertise her on here, just in case anyone wants a 20 week old stunning lad.
 
I am sorry, he really does look like a nice boy, I can just see him squiring a mixed flock of layers.
 
Have posted his picture on twitter (no detail other than RIR looking for a home). Bit of a long shot but thought it worth a try.
 
Rick, thanks so much, very kind of you.
At the moment he is still in with his girls, not a bit interested in them, just as companions, he really is such a sweetie, I cannot bring myself to do the deed, it would have to be the vet. If he he does not either crow or tread, he can continue as he is for the time being, he gets friendlier each day!
Maybe he is a totally sexless boy. I had a friend who had a potential stud dog who was not interested in anything feminine of the canine variety.
Perhaps Big Rube is the same. I'm sure it happens.
 
I think he is a late developer; he's not fully grown yet, and so I am not surprised he is still uninterested in the girls - he knows and they know that if he tries it on, he won't get very far, they won't submit to an immature bird. His crow will develop first, but you might be lucky, it might be quiet, although judging by the size of him, I would think it would be quite loud. If he carries on being a sweetie, it wouldn't altogether surprise me if he doesn't develop his mating characteristics until next Spring. I once sold a cock bird about the same age as yours and about this time of year, to a gentleman who rang me after 6 months to complain that the boy was a girl as he hadn't seen him in action. I told him, he was a boy, and sure enough, about a year after the sale he told me, that yes, he was!!
 
Mrs. B.,
many thanks for the info on the breed, very interesting. Here am I thinking he's a bit of a fairy, and in fact he could be a very serious bird. He certainly is nice natured, but if he is still a baby, that would account for it, he came from a breeder in Cornwall, Newquay I think.
He is growing fast now, and getting noticeably bigger, wattles and comb especially, I never thought my lovely Croads would be dwarfed, and of course eventually, they won't be. He certainly is a very large boy, and is extremely heavy. I picked him up to put him in a new roosting house, just this evening. I just hope his temper holds until I can find a home for him, one of my other Croad growers (9 weeks), made a half hearted attempt to crow this morning.
The only cockerels I have had dealings with are Pekins, quick to mature, people friendly, and relatively easy to rehome.
 
This afternoon at 2.00 Big Rube is to go to a new home, a working farm where he is to be the new husband; I think taking over from a tired out boy!
Since his first appearance on PF and the photos of him I think he has probably almost doubled in size, he was v.large before, now he is ENORMOUS and still kind and lovely.
Thanks all of you who helped with photos and useful comments.
 
Rube's new Mum had one word when she took him from me "stunning"!!
She showed me round her beautiful farm, with Rube in her arms, she has mostly purebred Sussexs but loads of others, including RIRs and Orpingtons.
Like me she talks to her chicks all the time. It looks as if Rube is going to have a good new life.
I fell a little in love with her speckled Sussex girls, and will probably have a couple in a few weeks.
 
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