I have three definite roosters and one maybe! They are all 16 weeks old. The low man on the totem pole has never crowed, has very small waddles and spurs like the girls. He does have a large comb and definite rooster plumage. He is a sibling of the others, well kinda, he came out of the same incubator, mixed eggs. Is it possible that his testosterone level has been suppressed because he Is the lowest of the lowest? Has anyone heard of this? Thanks for any help.
Roosters develop at different rates sometimes, even when they are from eggs laid by the same hen. If he is odd rooster out, he may tend to suppress the crowing to keep from getting hammered by the more dominant roosters. We had some beautiful crossbred roosters hatched here that I had to pen up to prevent warfare. The last one we sold out of the pen has never crowed in his new home. He is well-behaved and does all those other things roosters do, but makes no noise. I would guess that your rooster will develop wattles and comb and spurs just like the other roosters, but at a little later date.
That is what's going on then, he is without a doubt the odd rooster out. I have 12 birds, supposed to be females, ended up with 4 roosters, odd man out is the only one still left with the hens, the other roosters were so mean they have been banished from coop and run. The three bachelors now are free range. They wander a little, close to the coop. It is the only soluton I could come up with as I was not willing to slaughter them and could not find a home for them. They do have food and water, and they roost in a fig tree over the coop. Because they still hang arround and do all the crowing the under dog rooster must still be intimidated, he is such a sissy that he has ended up being a very sweet and easy rooster!
By Dr. Bruce Smith (Brucesmith) on Thursday, July 26, 2001 - 09:48 am:
By Gallina on Thursday, July 26, 2001 - 11:10 am: