Help!!! Hens vs Roosters

[CamoMomma]

I have 6 2 and half week old chics that were all suppose to be hens. One of them already has feathers and is bigger than the rest. When we got them we were told they were all hens and now they are telling us that it may be a rooster. Is there any way of knowing before they get big?

 

[CamoMomma]

Here's a pic of them to show the difference

 

[debid]

Most male chicks will show a deepening pink shade and growth to the comb and wattles by seven weeks of age. Pullets can pink slightly but they don't generally show much growth. The difference is often quite obvious in a group of all the same breed

Where did you get these chicks? What breed are they supposed to be?

 

[rc4u]

ok at that age just look at the tail and wing feathers...the roos will have no or short tails and wings and the hens longer tail and wing feathers.i cant see the tail feathers in your pis..jeff

 

[CrazyChickGirl]

Could that one be a little older?

 

[CamoMomma]

This is the best pic I have of the tail feathers.
They are BSL's and we got them at Southern States. My husband was told when he picked them up they were all hens. When I was talking to another girl working there about Red (the big one) she said they are 95% hens and there is always a chance of getting a rooster.

 

[CamoMomma]

They were all the same size when we got them. Supposed to have hatched the day before we got em.

 

[debid]

Ah, then she was misinformed. Yes, vent sexed chicks are sometimes missexed. They have to look for such a tiny difference that errors are inevitable But, these are sexlinks. Males would be b/w barred, females black and red. As chicks, the males have white spots on their heads, females don't. 100% accuracy is normal for these.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

FWIW, the faster feathering is generally seen in females -- and if they are sex linked birds the risk of a mistaken sexing are pretty much eliminated.

 

[CrazyChickGirl]

I didn't notice a big difference between our rooster and girls until about 3 weeks when it's comb pinked up. Idk? The size difference is odd to me at such a young age but maybe it is a roo. They are all the same breed too?