For two months now, I have been worried we have a rooster in our bunch.  We are only allowed to have our chickens in town if no one complains, and I am worried that a rooster would ruin that for us.  The hatchery we ordered our chicks from guarantees hens, except with the rare breed they gave us for free.

I have had suspicions about Stella from the very beginning, but Ryan swore we only had hens.  This morning, our rooster started crowing.  While we worry whether the neighbors will be upset, having a rooster really is a good thing.  We can have fertilized eggs now.  Fertilized eggs are healthier to eat and can be hatched out for new chicks.

We believe Stella is a Blue Laced Red Wyandotte.  He is a beautiful and large bird.  Stella has become my favorite chicken, so I will be very sad if we have to see him go.  Now that she is a he, Stella needs a new name (and hopefully not a new home).

This morning I got the camera out, and the chickens all came running!  Stella is the beautiful gray and brown bird in the middle.  

I’m loving the two chickens in the background of this picture.  Looks like someone is the talk of the coop today.  Maybe we weren’t the only ones fooled:

Look at that wattle and comb!  That was my first clue a couple of weeks ago, but Ryan assured me it would lay eggs.  I guess we don’t know much about chickens, but we will keep learning.