Sexing 7 week old Cornish crosses. Please help!

[veganloraine]

I took in 7 Cornish crosses who were the unwilling participants in a kindergarten hatching project. I have forever homes lined up for them, but only if they are hens, not roosters. At 7 weeks old they have all their feathers and are the size of my Longhorn cross. Two of the pullets have tiny combs and no waddles, four have medium combs and waddles, and one has a large comb and waddle. Please, please, please tell me that the medium combers are probably still hens I can post a picture later today/tomorrow, but I have someone coming this morning for two hens. Help!

 

[koakai22]

In my experience with Cornish cross, at 7 weeks the roos will haver larger comb and wattles and also be quite red already. Hens smaller and more pink. Hard to say for sure without pics, but hope it helps.

Also, I would make sure the new homes are aware it is a meat bird and may not make it to lay. They will need to feed these birds differently if they want longer lives. Just a bit if advice. Good luck!

 

[ktn65]

My experience is the same as koakai22. Also at 7 weeks, the pullets are a little smaller than the cockerels. My current batch are just over 8 weeks and you can tell the difference.

 

[AmericanMom]

In my experience with Cornish cross, at 7 weeks the roos will haver larger comb and wattles and also be quite red already. Hens smaller and more pink. Hard to say for sure without pics, but hope it helps.

Also, I would make sure the new homes are aware it is a meat bird and may not make it to lay. They will need to feed these birds differently if they want longer lives. Just a bit if advice. Good luck!

At 7 weeks they "should" be close to butcher weight, I agree whoever takes them needs to understand they are eating machines and will have to tightly restrict their food intake.. Even tho we free ranged our Cornish crosses there were 2 that broke their legs at around 9 weeks... In the end they would lay around the feeder and eat until they could eat no more, but then they would eat more, the last one we butchered at 12 weeks dressed out at a whopping 7 pounds!

 

[koakai22]

I raise mine with a broody and also free ranging. They do remarkably well because they are active following mama hen/daddy roo around. My last batch I only had one hen with leg issues just shy of 8 wks. The rest were butchered at 9 and 10 wks. I couldn't imagine dealing with them laying around the food constantly so a broody is the way for me!

Not sure if the OP was familiar with the breed, but hope it all works out for her.

 

[veganloraine]

This is a picture of three of the seven taken last week. You can see that they are at different stages of development, even though they hatched at the same time. The one on the left is clearly a rooster as he's already starting fights. Oh boy. The one on the left is clearly a hen. The one is the middle, of which there are four, is the mystery...I also have a grossly deformed year old Cornish cross, so I am aware of their feeding restrictions, but thank you koakai22, for the kind advice

 

[Folly's place]

These birds will not do well long term, in fact having them in the freezer by ten weeks of age is the best plan. They want to sit around and eat all the time, and will develop leg problems and heart failure pretty early. Severely restricting their diet may extend their lives, but they really only want to eat... IMO, hatching birds that can have a nice life is a better option. Mary

 

[keesmom]

The center bird looks to be a cockerel.

 

[koakai22]

x2.... I'm thinking roo.

 

[veganloraine]

I didn't hatch them, a kindergarten class did. As a vegan, which my username should have given indication to, I will treat them as more than just a product and find good forever homes for them. It's not their fault their bodies have been so grossly manipulated. I have an adult hen of the same breed. She's a year old and loving life as best as her deformities (that we've cursed her with) will allow her.