NagemTX
Dragon Chicken
Chest bumping is play for all genders of chicks at those ages. All my hens participated in it as chicks.
How soon can you identify male chick?
- Thread starter Aocskasy
- Start date
BurbMum
Chirping
They all participated, but Scooby the roo was always the instigator.
How soon can you identify a boy? That varies a lot chick by chick. There are a lot of different things that can help indicate that a chick may be male or female, but those are pretty much indications that it might be, not something definite. Different ones develop at different rates. I can usually say that one is definitely a boy before I can say one is definitely a girl, but there can be exceptions. On extremely rare occasions I've had confidence at hatch in saying that one is a boy while being able to say that one is a girl then is a lot rarer. Experience helps but I've also been wrong with a 14 week old before. I almost gave it away as a pullet but it was a boy.
Boys are typically bolder and braver than girls. The boys are the ones that are likely to come out and greet you while the girls hang back. That's a danger at the feed store, you are more likely to pick a boy because he has personality. But that won't work for you now, those chicks have come to know you and your daughter.
The boys are more likely to stand tall, have an upright posture. They look like they are ready to challenge the world. The girls tend to bend over more.
This can happen earlier but often around five weeks certain sex characteristics start showing up. The boys might have larger combs. A chick with wattles at that age are probably boys though some breeds don't seem to have wattles. Some girls can develop wattles or combs earlier but that is an indication of a boy. If the comb and wattles are red instead of pink or yellow it is probably a boy. A boy's legs are usually thicker or maybe longer than a girls. After a juvenile molt around 12 weeks old a boys saddle and hackle feathers come back pointed while a girls should be rounded. Curved tail feathers indicate it might be a boy but some girls have them.
Other than some chicks developing at different rates, some breed characteristics can make this harder. Some breeds have skinny or thicker legs. Different comb types can complicate it for those that mostly rely on combs or wattles. Different breeds can have different postures, even as chicks. Thick feathered breeds may be a little harder than thin fathered breeds. Some pullets can have a male look while males can have hennish feathering. Boys are often larger than the girls but that can be misleading. Some just grow faster.
I cannot tell from your photos of that chick. You might try after it is five weeks old with one close up of the head showing comb and wattles and a different photo showing the legs, posture and profile. We had one this morning where half of us guessed pullet and half cockerel. Sometimes we do all agree but a lot of the time we don't.
Boys are typically bolder and braver than girls. The boys are the ones that are likely to come out and greet you while the girls hang back. That's a danger at the feed store, you are more likely to pick a boy because he has personality. But that won't work for you now, those chicks have come to know you and your daughter.
The boys are more likely to stand tall, have an upright posture. They look like they are ready to challenge the world. The girls tend to bend over more.
This can happen earlier but often around five weeks certain sex characteristics start showing up. The boys might have larger combs. A chick with wattles at that age are probably boys though some breeds don't seem to have wattles. Some girls can develop wattles or combs earlier but that is an indication of a boy. If the comb and wattles are red instead of pink or yellow it is probably a boy. A boy's legs are usually thicker or maybe longer than a girls. After a juvenile molt around 12 weeks old a boys saddle and hackle feathers come back pointed while a girls should be rounded. Curved tail feathers indicate it might be a boy but some girls have them.
Other than some chicks developing at different rates, some breed characteristics can make this harder. Some breeds have skinny or thicker legs. Different comb types can complicate it for those that mostly rely on combs or wattles. Different breeds can have different postures, even as chicks. Thick feathered breeds may be a little harder than thin fathered breeds. Some pullets can have a male look while males can have hennish feathering. Boys are often larger than the girls but that can be misleading. Some just grow faster.
I cannot tell from your photos of that chick. You might try after it is five weeks old with one close up of the head showing comb and wattles and a different photo showing the legs, posture and profile. We had one this morning where half of us guessed pullet and half cockerel. Sometimes we do all agree but a lot of the time we don't.
Jerhanner
Chirping
I sure can't until I hear that first cockadoodledoo!
Badger Farm
Songster
GOOGOL YouTube "How to sex chickens"
Then, watch a few videos.
NagemTX
Dragon Chicken
Not every thing on Youtube is correct. (Edit for explanation)
The feather sexing method can only be done on some breeds, and the female and male have to have different rates of feather growth. I believe its a sex-link gene. It just means a lot of these methods are fallible. Even vent sexing is fallible 10% of the time. There are other sex-link genes that help with the ID of male and female but these again are not present in all chicken breeds.
Sometimes behavior can give you a clue but its better to not count your males and females until they are 6 to 12 weeks old and in some breeds you have to wait longer because they are slower maturing.
The feather sexing method can only be done on some breeds, and the female and male have to have different rates of feather growth. I believe its a sex-link gene. It just means a lot of these methods are fallible. Even vent sexing is fallible 10% of the time. There are other sex-link genes that help with the ID of male and female but these again are not present in all chicken breeds.
Sometimes behavior can give you a clue but its better to not count your males and females until they are 6 to 12 weeks old and in some breeds you have to wait longer because they are slower maturing.
Last edited:
IvyBeans
Songster
Any updates?
- Thread starter
- #19
Aocskasy
Chirping
I’m leaning towards cockerel but still not sure. Having never raised chickens before there are days where I swear I see male traits in all the chicks (very unlikely I know) and other days when I’m only worried about one or two. Here are some updated photos. I’ll try to get better ones in natural light once they are out of my garage and in the coop this week. The main one in question is the one with the lighter feathers and the close-up headshot. I’ve included a few of the others in case anyone has any thoughts
Iluveggers
Crossing the Road
Any updates? I have my thoughts but I’d love to see if the instincts were right lol.
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