Jonas Verdickt is an ordinary citizen living in a small town in Belgium with chickens. Verdickt, who woke up with a great surprise one morning last week, is sitting on the agenda of the world. Suddenly, one of Verdickt’s chickens began crowing like a rooster and his appearance changed.
Verdickt, who has no roosters in his coop and only feeds chickens, spent a lot of time with his animals during his quarantine due to coronavirus. During this time, Verdickt, who has been watching her chicken named ‘Belle’ in details from female to male, says that her chicken also has a more robust comb structure and masculine stance. So is such a thing really possible? This situation, which is extremely surprising for us, is quite normal for scientists.
How can a chicken turn into a rooster?
Stating that such a situation can be seen, although it is rare, experts explained that it is something completely related to chromosomes. Experts stated that, as in humans, it is the chromosomes that determine the sex in chickens. In other words, there are two identical Z chromosomes in both female and male bird species, and these allow sex to be determined.
Different chromosomes in bird species are mistaken as ZW. Because of this chromosome difference, female birds have only one developed ovary, and if a chicken’s left ovary develops a disease such as cancer or a cyst, the undeveloped right ovary comes into play. At this point, the ovaries and testicles mix and masculine hormones are secreted. As a result, chickens may suddenly begin to crow and may even have male sexual characteristics.
Probably Verdickt’s chicken experienced a similar situation. Experts also explained that the chicken can fertilize other chickens in the coop.
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