Is Dorrit actually a Dennis?

[MaureenHall]

How long ago did you get him/her?

[Bephlam]

I got the said bird exactly 1 week and 3 days ago...and s/he's only been crowing for 2 of them. Just let them all out now...they were demented...lol...they're normally out at 6am.

When I let them out the little Dorrit/Dennis one ran up to one of them, she crouched, s/he jumped on her back and did some shuffling around for a moment...then jumped off.

Now, it's a cockerel...or just a weird noisy lesbian chicken (which actually wouldn't surprise me either!)

[Bephlam]

Ok...I'm pretty sure in my heart of hearts that this bird is a male.

Right now it's in the middle of the run, standing on a log, stretched out nice and tall...puffing itself up and trying to crow at the sun!!

I really am upset...I know I'm an idiot...but, I'm attached to him already. He was sooo poorly when he arrived...and with some TLC he's looking really good now.

Plus side, if I pop some of the eggs in the incu I might get some fav x maran chicks!!

Bizarre!

[RichmondHens]

Definitely sounds like a cock to me. Hens don't normally "tread" each other - at least mine don't!! Breeders are a bit naughty - they should know in 99 per cent of cases which are boys and which aren't. I think they sneak the odd boy off as a hen to get rid of them. My friend (who knew nothing about chickens but was determined to get some) got thoroughly duped by a breeder here in Norfolk who sold her 3 supposedly Buff Sussex POL pullets. When I took a trip to inspect them, she had got one Buff Sussex pullet, one pullet which was definitely NOT Buff Sussex and one Light Sussex cock!!!! I told her to take them back and complain but by then she and her daughter had become attached and decided to keep the lot. So far her neighbours have not complained. I wish you luck in rehoming the cock if you cannot eat him.

[di]

Don't know what to say Bephlam!...does sound like he's not a little girl!Do you think you'd get away with keeping him?

[Bephlam]

I honestly don't believe the breeder was being naughty on this one...because I couldn't tell either. Like you say, normally there are more signs....this little bird didn't have any signs of being a cockerel when it first arrived. It was MUCH smaller than the hen (half the size), he wasn't particularly leggy and didn't have a single tail feather, let alone different feathering. I believed he was a weak female...but...after a week of TLC and some poultry spice, porridge, meal worm, wormer, lots of water...etc...he's crowing like a looney!!

I too am attached...just wish he had crowed night 1, 2 or 3...then there would be no problem getting rid. It's hard when you've nursed the wee thing like that...to give it away...knowing it's fate may be the oven!!

I don't have bad neighbours...or even a lot of them, so I probably would get away with keeping him...but truth is...I hate being a nuisance of any sort, and when he crows it stresses me out...even though the neighbours haven't said anything...I know it would annoy me if I lived next door to it (it wouldn't, but I'm putting myself in their shoes...none of them have animals...or kids...etc...you get my meaning?). So, as much as I want to keep him...and I do....I think it's best to give him away. Unless...I can come up with something to stop him crowing in the morning!!!

RichmondHens...does your friend have neighbours?

Anyway....I'm a wee bit sad, but I know what has to be done...I suppose! (I most definitely can't eat him...I can't even kill a spider, so I'm not going to be able to kill a bird)

[stephenwithap]

think the best bet may be to try again to get in touch with breeder or even pay a visit if emails not bein answered and ask if it is possible to swap him/her for a her
if the breeder is a good person they will realise the mistake and rectify it for you
even if it is a case that they may get repeat buisness from you if they show this kind of proffesionalism i know i would change something for a customer if a mistake had been made or even if they wernt happy with choice made
and can i just say that my full repect goes out to you for taking your neibours feelings into consideration that dont happen alot these days
steve

[Bephlam]

Thankfully, the breeder is a good guy...and has said he'll take him back. Problem his...he's a good distance away...and I really need him gone pronto! He doesn't have anything I can have a swap with, but said he'll refund me...which isn't a huge issue anyway. It's not about the cash!

I just don't want the little guy (now named Max) to end up in the pot!! He's far to nice for that...lol.

I just wish I hadn't ever got him home...it's so easy to become attached to these little birdies!!

[di]

If you did want to keep him,maybe chat to your neighbours.Don't assume he'd be a nuisance without asking first...they may just be happy with the idea??...maybe I'm a little biased,but I'd have absolutely no problem with the noise.

[Bephlam]

I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be happy about it...although I'm not sure my immediate neighbours would be the problem. They're relatively easy going...so I've found out. But, a cockerel is noisy...and even if my immediate neighbours were cool with it...I can't be sure the people across the road etc would be. I think it's best to rehome him...although I don't want to...and still remain only 80% sure.

I wish someone could just give a definite answer. I recorded his sound, but can't put it on here...maybe that would have helped sex him!

Poor wee fella!!

[lynda66]

i felt the same with my boys and was soooo hard keeping them quiet, i panicked every time they crowed ....the only way i could was to bring them in and put them in the playpen totally in the dark until a reasonable time, if you can totally black out the house you can keep him quiet, other than that theres not much chance

almost right up till elvis went i wan't sure he was a boy .... hope you can get it sorted one way or another hugggssss

[Bephlam]

What a dilemma!! Not fair, I didn't ask for this to be my problem...I bought them instead of hatching them to prevent the cockerel heart strings being pulled!!

*cries*

[lynda66]

awwww hunny i know exactly how you feel ... maybe you could go and chat with all the neighbours and see what they say ??

[Bephlam]

Suppose I could...but realistically...I think that would just make the ones who didn't know or care about the chickens in the first place get funny. You know what people are like!

Solution...all us Grapes should build our own wee village and move in to it...then we wouldn't have any of these problems!!

Did Elvis crow during the day? This one isn't making a peep outwith the morning crow!

Maybe a cockerel box would help the morning crow then he could stay. Who knows...grasping at straws here. He's a hell of a lot quieter than the kids and dogs that are around here anyway!!

[lynda66]

elvis only crowed twice before he went and has only crowed once since i think lol ...... coco started in the morning, but bit by bit as he got more practice was crowing on and off alllll day except when running round the garden he was much quieter, and buttercup mostly crowed in competition with coco ....... if he is quiet during the day and it's only mornings then keeping him totally dark will work till you let the light in .... but he may get worse as he is still finding his voice .... ps don't search on google for how to make a cock box