Light Sussex vs Plymouth Rocks - whats easier to sex as chicks

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waterside

waterside

Hatching
May 15, 2016
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Hi there. I'm either going to get some day old unsexed light sussex or plymouth rocks. Which is easier to sex at 4-6 weeks? I have limited space so I only want hens and I have a friend who will take the roosters.
 
Which variety of Rock? They come in several, such as white, buff, barred, partridge and silver penciled.
 
Thats good to know. Barred Rock are what I'm getting. What colouring do you look for when they are young?
 
Females can only have a single copy of the barring gene, giving them thick black bars and narrow white bars. This makes them look 'dark'. Males have two barring genes, and this means they have twice as much white barring, giving them narrow bars of black and wider bars of white. This makes them look 'lighter'.
 
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At 6 weeks, you should be able to sex either of those breeds. They both have males who show up pretty early with a larger, red comb, thicker legs and more upright stance.

The barred Rocks do have that additional advantage of the difference in barring between males and females, although with hatchery birds it's sometimes difficult to see as there's a lot of variation in color from one bird to the next.
 
Another thing is the Plymouth Barred Rock breed is EXTREMELY friendly! I have 7 females and by 5 days old all but one were jumping on my lap! They sit on my arms and one even went through the motions of taking a "dirt" bath in my lap! I have 10 chick's, 7 Barred rocks, 1 penciled rock, 1 buff orpington, and one silver laced Wyandotte. The rocks are super docile love to cuddle, smart and curious. If you don't choose the Barred Rock breed, you will really be missing out on some of the most loving chickens you have ever had!! They are characters! I was super shocked on how friendly they are! They even like to cuddle ♡♡ one out of the 7 Barred rocks is a bit shy but still allows being held and petted. They are a great breed! Here is a pic of my 4 1/2 week old chick's:)look closely and you will see the female trait of dark staining down both legs and. Feet.
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