sex change

[chickenfan]

I've got a couple of hens that have grown spurs and become flirtatious with the hens even though they live with a cockerel. They dont have a very nice time as the cockerel is aggressive with them. I just wonder if there is a solution for restoring them to egg-laying again?

 

[chrismahon]

We have a lot of hens with spurs- usually just one. Those that have two have one much smaller than the other. All ours are laying, some are crowing occasionally and a few are flirtatious on occasions, even with a cockerel. Don't think there is a solution?

 

[LadyA]

I've only ever had one that stopped laying after one season, and started crowing. She didn't grow spurs, but her wattles did grow quite large. She was a huge cuckoo maran. With the bizarre name of "pigahlet my pigahlet"!

 

[rick]

It's the time of year for funny goings on. On Sunday we had a raucous egg song 'in the round' with all joining in. It was started off by the little man.
Tofu? Lots of estrogen but no idea if you can effect them that way. Probably not. Brownie my brown hybrid had spurs. I thought Teabag was turning into a cockerel one time but it passed.

 

[bigyetiman]

Our old Bluebell, the one who acts like Darth Vader, has just entered her sixth year and this spring she has started crowing and has a magnificent comb and wattles. On the plus side she seems to have quietened down a bit and doesn't beat everyone up on sight

 

[LadyA]

On the plus side she seems to have quietened down a bit and doesn't beat everyone up on sight

That's always a plus!

 

[valeriebutterley]

My elderly Ancona Dottie has grown huge spurs, and keeps trying to mount the others not very successfully, and she is growing not only white headed but increasingly aggressive, still lovely to me though and still laying.

 

[bigyetiman]

Same as our Bluebell she still pops out eggs now and then and boy don't we all know about it when it happens ! She still stomps about like Darth Vader though.
She is a real character, and at long ago she was firmly at the bottom of the pecking order so I do admire her grit and determination in getting to the top

 

[Eris]

I still have a pullock from last years hatch. Looked 100% a pullet, feathered up just like a pullet, but acted like a cock. At around 8 months it finally decided to grow spurs. Now with spring arriving it decided on its sex and chose to look like a cock with comb and sickle feathers growing, but I rather suspect will just remain another flipping oddity around here and probably infertile ?