Grow Your Own Magazine

One of my ladies has grown an impressive pair of spurs over the last week or so. Is this common?

__________________
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
Max Ehrmann, Desiderata

blog: http://allyheebiejeebie.blogspot.com/ and my (basic!) page: http://www.allythegardener.co.uk/

chooks can change sex if there group has too many girls or too many boys, they dont compleatly change, just voice and body shape, they arnt fertile when they do this. we have had one that did it but not fully so she still layed but not often. its not common but its not that unusual either

__________________
Yo an' Bob
Walk lightly on the earth
take only what you need
give all you can
and your produce will be bountifull

Ta

She laid an egg today and seems in perfect health.

__________________
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
Max Ehrmann, Desiderata

blog: http://allyheebiejeebie.blogspot.com/ and my (basic!) page: http://www.allythegardener.co.uk/

I have kept hens all my life but have never seen spurs on a girl! Are you sure it was the one that laid the egg?
I knpw that females can change to males in cats(and have been advised that this can happen in all species as I had a female cat that changed to male. )So I suppose the opposite could happen as well.Does he/she crow?.

Unless one hen laid two this morning, she laid an egg! I've put some photos on my blog if you want a look - they're not very clear because the bloomin bird wouldn't stay still and another two kept trying to peck the camera.

__________________
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
Max Ehrmann, Desiderata

blog: http://allyheebiejeebie.blogspot.com/ and my (basic!) page: http://www.allythegardener.co.uk/

Yep, my two Dorking ladies have spurs. It's not uncommon, I think it depends on the breed. They aren't changing sex, it's just part of their phenotype.

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Dwell simply ~ love richly

That's reassuring thanks! Only one of the four has grown spurs. They're ex-battery hybrids.

__________________
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
Max Ehrmann, Desiderata

blog: http://allyheebiejeebie.blogspot.com/ and my (basic!) page: http://www.allythegardener.co.uk/