Roo or hen? Is our ChickenDuck a, <<gasp>> BOY?!?!

Our chicks are now almost 5 weeks old. There are some notable changes in them, and we THINK we are beginning to tell whos a BOY and whos a GIRL. Can you give me your expert opinions on my guesses?

"ChickenDuck".....a BOY?


"HennyPenny".....a GIRL?


"Taffy".....a BOY?


"Storm".....a BOY?


"Buzz".....a GIRL?


"Mocha".....a GIRL?


If we were right on these, we can guess from the rest of the flock. I was guessing that the ones with obvious redness to the comb and comb development were boys, whereas those without much of a comb and no coloration there were girls. Also, the boys seem much 'beefier'....they seem to have some real weight to them when you pick them up. Well....how'd we do for first time guesses?

We had soooo hoped that ChickenDuck was a lady, thus securing his place in our flock! My daughter is upset, thinking we are going to eat him! However, even though his comb is large and red compared to some we're fairly certain are hens, his gentle nature, easy going attitude, and friendly disposition leave us confused. He's NOT outgoing or bold or brave. In fact, he's often one of the last to wander over to something new. BUT, on the other side of that coin, he doesn't startle AT ALL. Nothin spooks him! In fact, the other day I sneezed and everyone scattered....EXCEPT HIM. Can a chicken be deaf? Just a thought I had. He just sort of meanders around, willy-nilly like without a care in the world. Doesnt act very Roo-ish....hmmmm....Well, IF he is a HE and he is this mellow, I'm pretty sure he's securred his place around here!

No we didnt use MM we used Sun Ray Chick Hatchery. And he's not the one we were called about. We call him ChickenDuck because when he was little, he looked just like a baby mallard duck! He's changed so much now though....lol

Thanks for the replies. I dont usually get into the wives tales things, but I'll try the needle and string on the chicks I posted here and see what I get for results and let you know. Then in a few weeks, it will be neat to see if we were right!

I guess the way to tell if it really worked, or if it was actually your own hand making the needle move would be to attach the string to a fixed object hanging above each chicken. My guess would be that it wouldnt move at all...I suppose I'll just have to grit my teeth and wait another week or so.

BUT....when sexing chicks OF THE SAME BREED...

1) Will cockerels get the bright red in their combs first?

2) Will cockerels get a noticable comb first?

3) Do they ALL get the little bumps that will be the spurs? Because ALL of my chicks have a little bump on each leg. BUT, some of them have a larger bump....