A very rare bird indeed!!

I was wondering if anyone else has got such a rare bird as this.
I took Afro, one of my ex-b's, to see the vet this morning on an information only visit as he had asked me to bring her in. I mentioned yesterday, when I took poor Dizzy in, that she hadn't laid an egg since coming to me (not worried about that, just happy to have them run about enjoying life), she's got a huge comb and perky conical tail, can be a bit on the feisty side, won't go up into the ark to roost with the others but prefers to sleep at the bottom of the ramp and has been pulling out her throat feathers. When I opened the carrier and Afro stood up the vet's first words were "That's a cockerel!"
I'd had my suspicions but figured it wouldn't be possible for a cockerel to last 18 months in a battery cage without being sussed out but I'm guessing he chose celibacy as a means of self preservation. It just goes to show how much "care" is shown those poor birds if it wasn't picked up in all that time.
Now here's the thing - he still isn't treading the girls and he doesn't crow which has led the vet to suggest he may even be a chimera, the male & female genes getting mixed up so outwardly appearing male with female traits. Wow, and to think he should have gone down the gas chute at 1 day old! That just makes him all the more special to me    I feel so lucky - any other ex-batties out there got one? Let me know - Anne

Maybe she wasnt born male....hens do sometimes 'change sex'....they dont grow male genitalia so cant fertilize eggs, but when their one working overy becomes damaged they start displaying male tendencies. Have a look at this story.....this has also happened to the founder of the British hen welfare trust  hens, so i know its not just an urban myth

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-383491/The-sex-change-chicken-crows.html

Some farmers do keep a few cockerels in with barn hens, but not sure about battery hens

somebody posted about that on here a couple of weeks ago I think - it was going off for some tests.