What is it made of? Cast iron or cast aluminum....or could it be painted copper?
I suggest you look on eBay or other auction sites, under completed salad ands ee what people are willing to pay.

Do not leave this weather vane sitting at ground level outside, else it may get stolen. Collectors are looking for old weather vanes. Your vane might be cast iron.

There is something peculiar about your vane. Is it functional? In other words, will it reliable point into the wind? The rooster seems to be positioned a bit too far toward the arrow point to cause the vane to point into the wind. Also, the paint does not look weather worn. Maybe it has been repainted. It also has a stand! All outdoor vanes I have seen have mounts designed for a roof top or on a pole. Could this be an indoor decorative piece? It would blow over in a 40 mph wind unless the stand was secured.

Look it over for any maker's mark. If the stand is part of the original, there may be information on its bottom side.

I don't think "real" weather vanes were made out of cast iron? Too heavy, maybe? Have a feeling you have a nice looking, "decorative" piece??

its very heavy. How do I know what kind of metal it is? Sorry, i'm pretty ignorant here!!! thank you for your comments.

Real weather vanes certainly were made of cast iron.
Does it hold a magnet?....that tells you if it's iron not aluminum ( modern) or copper. The fact that it's heavy tells you it's probably not cut from sheet metal. How big is it? real weather vanes were fairly large so as to be easily seen from the ground.
Here's some information....remember Google is your friend.
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/tools-and-hardware/weathervanes

Very small for a weather vane to place up on top of an old roof, and be seen from the ground. It appears to be a vintage decorative piece as stated above. eta: It looks like the example I posted is missing the North/South directors.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/231887579501?rmvSB=true

I found one that looks just like mine, except that one has the back of the arrow missing. It does hold a magnet. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Genuine-Antique-Cast-Iron-Rooster-Weather-Vane-Rusty-Gold-05-/201538119008 $150 on Ebay, but who knows if it actually sells for that. I don't go on ebay!

I go on eBay all the time....it's the best way to find out the true "value" of something....check completed sales.

This link below will show a sold one like yours from eBay, but still in its original

black. Sold for $29.95

Interesting! Thank you very much. Can you send me the actual link? Mine looks more "weathered" than that one; dont know if that makes it better or worse. I think its cool, but I actually don't like chickens. I really like DUCKS and there are NO duck weather vanes!!!! I wonder why chickens are the bird of choice? Anyone know?

Chickens were on a weather vane since a very long time ago....often called a "weather cock"...
But the ebay one is not "exactly" like yours....

It's beautiful!! I would totally buy it from you if you're willing to ship to Canada! I raise laying hens and am always looking for NICE chicken decor. My egg customers love it when I get a new piece. But there are many chicken related things that are just not nice looking or cheaply made. Those I don't buy.

you can check ebay, craig's list, etc.. your vane looks lovely but doesn't look weathered and I think weathered looks would fetch more money. It looks like its wrought iron and frankly, there are many wrought iron garden features that's come out of China, flooding the markets

cast iron door stops, banks, match safes, and all manner of garden décor including weather vanes (apparently) all mass produced in Asia.

Copying the original old ones. Yes there are many repros....but there are also old ones....and older repros...before the Asian ones came into the picture.
Things like that....it's always a crapshoot determining what's really old and what's sort of old and what's new!

Someone above was wondering why chickens and not ducks on weather vanes. I really don't know, but I can put forth a guess. On US farms a century ago, most had chickens and roosters running loose (free range) but not many ducks. Ducks are water loving birds and will leave the barnyard if they find a pond or stream nearby. Chickens will range around the hen house, but always come back to the hen house to roost at night or for shelter during a storm. Its the Rooster that appears on weather vanes. His tail feathers are more ornate than the hen.

Farmers observed the behavior of chickens as a weather forecaster. Chickens will head for shelter during a brief shower and wait for the rain to let up before venturing out again. An old saying was present in the community I once lived in. It was said that if the chickens came out in the rain, it will be a long rain lasting perhaps most of the day or more. By this, it would be natural to associate a weather cock with a wind vane. Wind vane? Its called a weather vane I do believe.

The story...or the legend...goes that in the 11th century the pope said that every church should display a rooster atop it's weather vane as a symbol of Jesus being betrayed before the cock crowed. It was a reminder of Christianity.

Wow, thanks Jemdandy, that's so interesting. Yes, we have to round up our ducks at night, but they don't go too far. Its very funny watchiing my hubby round them up. I have to video that some time. I just LOVE ducks, but a fox just got FIVE of mine in the last week. So sad!

I sold it for $l00. I don't like chickens otherwise I would have kept it.