Any way to tell chick gender?

[ant888]

If these chicks are less than a week, probably they are pullets. Over a week, and this isn't a useful method of trying to discern sex.

They're about 1-1.5 weeks old. Since they're older than that, do you know of any other methods?

 

[ant888]

I've also heard of monitoring how they behave. The article said roosters act different than hens.

 

[mika4me]

I have 4 new chicks that were all sexed as female. One of them is constantly jumping up on the backs of the others. Is she just spunky, or could this be an indication that she is really a boy? Can't remember any of my other chicks doing this so consistently...

 

[realsis]

I have 4 new chicks that were all sexed as female. One of them is constantly jumping up on the backs of the others. Is she just spunky, or could this be an indication that she is really a boy? Can't remember any of my other chicks doing this so consistently...

could be she's a dominant and establishing a pecking order. myou chicks before ( now 3 years old) would chest bump and run at each other especially in the morning. all females. I've had grown hens jump on other hens as well showing dominance

 

[azygous]

The best thing to do is to be patient for a few more weeks. Cockerel combs will begin pinking up between three to six weeks. Compared to pullets, whose combs are pale yellow, cockerels are noticeably pink, and they will be quite red by age six weeks.

Pullets' combs remain pale yellowish, as well as small, until just before they get ready to begin laying.

Occasionally, a cockerel will begin crowing early, sometimes as young as a few weeks. I had one crow at six weeks, and he was mounting his brooder mates before he was ten weeks.

Cockerels may begin to get sickle tail feathers by ten weeks, as well as pointy saddle and neck feathers. Legs will be thicker and longer, with big feet.

But yours are simply still too young to tell yet, and behavior isn't a reliable indicator.

 

[mika4me]

Okay, thanks!!! Great info!!! Keeping him/her either way. Such a cutie. (Buff Orpington)

 

[csaylorchickens]

I did every method of sexing besides looking at the vent in the first 24 hours and they were all wrong haha I hatched ALL roosters and they feathered differently. 4 weeks old their combs are turning pink and larger than the hens. Orpington roosters are sweet I had to give mine away can't have any I was so sad he was amazing