How old before you can tell the sex?

[stephensc7146]

I bought 15 barred rocks from tractor supply out of a bin of straight run chicks. 2 weeks into this, I notice that one of my chicks has extremely thick legs, and a slightly larger body than ALL of the others that I have. Could this be an early sign of a Roo?

Also, I have another chick who when I pick it up, it has a raspy chirp? It is smaller than the chick I mentioned above, smaller legs. The only way I know it is the same chick every time I get it is because it comes right to my hand every time, and its raspy chirp. I know nothing about combs, and it may be too early to even tell, but it seems to be turning an pinkish orange color before all the others..

9 of the 15 are going to my boyfriend, and I plan on keeping 6, 5 hens and a rooster, I just don't know what age I'll know for sure what it is. I don't want to keep the chicks from him for too long.. Any good early sign detectors? I'm hoping to let him have his by the time they are a month old.. maybe a month and a half. Is this a possibility?

 

[fried green eggs]

Within a few weeks the little roosters combs will start to get much redder in color and grow and the pullet comb will stay more yellow colored.

 

[thompsonfarm]

cockerels usually have a lighter color to their feathering, and pullet have tighter bars and are dark there is also something about the spot on their heads as babies that your can sort of auto- sex them i would look that up

 

[stephensc7146]

Thanks so much

 

[Fred's Hens]

Barred Rocks are dead easy at 5 weeks. The difference is astounding and obvious, at least in 95% of the cases.

The pullets will dark, the bars will be dull and almost speckled. The combs will be dull yellow and NO wattles.
The cockerels will be bright! The white bars distinctive and vivid. The combs will turn pink, then red, and the wattles will redden and begin to appear already.

Side by side, which is what you'll have, since you chose straight run chicks, the sexes will be pretty obvious.

 

[stephensc7146]

Chick 1Chick 2

These are about 2 1/2 weeks old right now, They all seem to have the same bold patterns on their wings. I'm hoping I don't have 15 roosters! I'm feeling a bit worried. Do they all start coming in the same and changing in a couple weeks or am I stuck with a bunch of roosters..

 

[Fred's Hens]

Let them feather out another few weeks. The photo I posted was at 5 weeks. That is the best time to judge. By 6 weeks, the cockerels will have little, red wattles and pink/red combs, while the pullets will have no wattles and dull, yellow combs. Pullets don't get red combs until 14 weeks or so. Sexing can be VERY accurate then.

Let me be blunt. I intend nothing but kindness, and kindness means telling the truth. Buying from a straight fun bin often means a preponderance of cockerels. That's just what happens. I simply do not recommend people ever, ever buy from a straight run bin if they don't need/want a bunch of cockerels, because while it's nice to believe the odds are 50/50, in the real world, it just isn't so. Straight run bins carry a somewhat lower price for a reason. Straight run bins are often over-flowing with cockerels. Sharp eyed buyers may also have cherry picked all the pullets from that TSC bin before you.

 

[stephensc7146]

I have a place for all the roos to. Go, I was just hoping that out of 15, I would have a decent chance of having 5 pullets. I bought 9 at first, then bought another 6 to make my odds a little better. Thanks for your help

 

[TracyLynn]

Fred ! thanks for the info So if a Buff Orp at age 5-6 weeks has an already pinkish/red coomb and waddle ? what are the chances its a Roo? I'm actually hoping this one is a Roo...We have bonded its the only one out of the group of orps i have with that pink waddle and coomb as of now....also a more outgoing/bossy/curious/personable personality.

Thanks again,

Tracy

 

[new chick owner]

can anyone please give me a for sure way to sex a chick? it will be much appreciated :3