Another game of GUESS THAT SEX

[aart]

Sadly, if the brown chick is a Roo, I will have to cull him because I currently have no openings to add more roosters. If you end up culling a bird to eat, how big or what age do you let them get before culling?

At 5 weeks that is definitely a male.
I usually slaughter at 14-16 weeks, just as they really start to cause 'trouble'.
But you can do it at any age.

 

[Painted Calls]

You have a pair. That is definitely a cockerel.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Can you show a pic of the yellow bird's legs? And I agree that the brown one appears to be a cockerel.

I can try to get one in the morning. Are you looking for spur buds or anything specific that you want to see in the picture?

 

[MamaBelle5]

I can try to get one in the morning. Are you looking for spur buds or anything specific that you want to see in the picture?

It is purely for my own benefit. I am curious if her legs are black/slate. They seemed to be heading that way in the one picture.

 

[Dottie the Chicken]

Looks like a little girl and a little boy.

 

[TJAnonymous]

It is purely for my own benefit. I am curious if her legs are black/slate. They seemed to be heading that way in the one picture.

Do their legs change colors? I didn't know that....

 

[Painted Calls]

Do their legs change colors? I didn't know that....

Like a cuttlefish!

Kidding. Their legs can change a bit as they age though.

 

[NatJ]

If you end up culling a bird to eat, how big or what age do you let them get before culling?

Some people eat quail-- I figure chickens don't have to be very old to be bigger than a quail.

My main butchering points tend to be:
a) as soon as I know who the males are
b) when they start crowing
c) when they start trying to mate with the females
d) any time one attacks me
e) when I need more space in the pens, or when the weather is right, or when I just want fresh chicken to eat

Obviously, none of those have much to do with actual size
I think the smallest ones I've butchered were banty cockerels at 5 weeks.