Homestead mailing list

[Lisa Perry <lkvp AT floydva.net>]

clanSkeen wrote:

> (snip) Most pullet orders have included 10 to 20% roosters.  
We ended up with a rooster this spring that we thought certain was a hen 
last fall.  We called her our 'miracle hen' as she was born outside on 
the night of the hard frost (Oct. 2) and made it.  We dutifully looked 
and checked (as best we could--we couldn't catch them) for emerging 
combs around the four week timeframe and didn't think we saw one.  Then 
this spring the hen sprouted tail feathers and a big comb and began to 
crow...hey, it must be a rooster! 

So what should we do better this time around?  We will be able to 
closely inspect this time as the pullets are kept under the heat lamp in 
a large box/pen area and we have more control.  We don't want to end up 
with another hen-turned-rooster situation.

Lisa