Any indicators...

[A roo or two]

in week old chicks to help tell gender?

I have a EE roo (Cuckoo Maran cross, with green legs and ear muffs) and RSL hens. I have noticed some of the chicks have bear butts and some have little tall tuffs starting to emerge. Is that an indication of gender?

Any other things that you have noticed in your chicks that stand out early that help you tell?

I am not asking for 100% accuracy just things that you all have noticed that have helped you distinguish gender.

Thank you in advance for any replies.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Check the first post in this thread.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/48329/secondary-sex-characteristics

Sexual dimorphism means it doesn’t always work this young. There are always exceptions and some breeds are definitely harder than others. Usually with my flock I can tell at about 5 weeks which ones are definitely males. Red combs and wattles, heavy legs, and sometimes just body confirmation and posture. But I’m not always sure on the pullets. Some males just develop these traits later than others. There have been some that showed traits of both until over three months.

Both your rooster and your hens are crosses, no purebreds on either side. I would not trust any sex liked traits at all with crossing crosses, and your crosses don’t have any of those I’m aware of anyway. Certainly not feather sexing, or red or black sex linking.

The only clues that I can give you at all at that age is that the males are more likely to have an upright posture while the females are more likely to be more horizontal. Again, it’s easier to pick out the ones that are likely male than the ones that are likely female. It’s really hard to pick them with any assurance before they are at least 5 weeks old and even then there is often some guessing involved.

 

[A roo or two]

Thank you. I figured as much about them being mixes making it harder. I am trying to go by what I remember my babies looking like when I got them but they were all two weeks old and I know they change so fast. I remember my pullets had tails and the cockerel did not.

I guess time will tell

.