We've got a mess of chickens on the Ranch. The boys, the meat birds, have a separate area until we decide who gets to join the hens. Our girls day range and last night moved into their new fancy heated coop for the winter.
About a month ago we noticed that one of our hens was looking mighty much like a boy. The hens are younger than the rest of our flocks, and he was the right size as the girls, so we figured out of all those day old chicks we received, maybe one was miss-sexed. By now he should have pronounced male features but nope, so we just figured maybe we have a gay chicken, or more likely a transgendered bird. Something to comment upon but not something we actually thought much about.
But yesterday while wandering the glorious Net, I discovered this, Sex reversal in chickens, at the University of Florida Extension Service. Several things intrigued me. It's not a technical read, so pop over there if you're curious. Who knew if a left ovary gave up the ghost, secondary male characteristics could occur? Our Hen isn't really a Cock, but sort of, but most probably sterile in either case.
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