The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: edstrong on June 15, 2021, 09:32:54 am

Title: Trans hen
Post by: edstrong on June 15, 2021, 09:32:54 am
One of our hens, a five year old Speckledy called 'Tog' has started crowing. She has also become rather larger, with a big bright red wattle and has now started to develop sharp spurs on her legs. She is turning into a cockerel!

I didn't realise this could happen but apparently it does, though rarely. Something to do with hens only having one functioning ovary, so if this fails the other dormant ovary can grow into an ovotestis with resultant changes to the hen's hormones. The other hens are being quite accepting about her change and aren't treating her any differently, which is nice.

Has anyone else had this happen?

Here's a video of her crowing! https://youtu.be/kIG_Yx1ZuEI (https://youtu.be/kIG_Yx1ZuEI)

(https://tiptonscroft.org.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2021.06.06-Tog-a.jpg)

(https://tiptonscroft.org.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2021.06.07-Tog-a.jpg)
Title: Re: Trans hen
Post by: chrismahon on June 15, 2021, 10:45:33 am
We've had this happen often. Usually when they stop laying, but we have a Leghorn who crows (badly), has very large spurs, does a stomp dance around the other hens and is still laying! We also have a solitary 11 year old Wyandotte, who kept herself to herself until her lifelong companion died. Now she comes out of the coop and crows every morning. Whilst we only have two cocks, it can get very noisy here.
Title: Re: Trans hen
Post by: doganjo on June 15, 2021, 11:05:48 am
Yes, I had a hen that was laying regularly change into a cockerel over a period of only a few months.  Gradual drop in egg laying then physical change over a few weeks

It also happened to a Shetland duck I had, and I also had what I thought was a drake start laying eggs

I think every animal, including ourselves have a very finely balanced level of male and female hormones which can change level at any time
Title: Re: Trans hen
Post by: in the hills on June 15, 2021, 12:52:01 pm
We've had one, too!
Title: Re: Trans hen
Post by: macgro7 on June 15, 2021, 08:13:30 pm
It happens to hens sometimes (usually older) as well as pheasants - they start growing male coloured feather, spurs, Stuart crowing and stop laying eggs. It is caused by damaged ovaries