Any way to tell chick gender?

[ant888]

I have 1 week old chicks and would like to tell what gender they are. I think it said "straight run'. Does that mean a mix of both? There are 6 chicks.

 

[gemtruker]

yes, straight run means they put whatever they could put in the box to fill the order. They didn't sex the chicks so unless you can find someone to sex them for you, until they grow up, not a clue on what you have.

 

[realsis]

straight run Does NOT mean you will have 50% male and 50% female. Most people get confused at that. it does NOT mean there will be a balance at all. Straight Run is "As hatched" meaning it can be ANY combination at all or you could get super lucky and by chance get all female or unlucky and get all male or any possible combination in between. most folks think it's half and half but in reality it almost NEVER works out that way. it's whatever combo is grabbed at hatch of NOT SEXED chicks. so it's absolutely impossible to know or even begin to guess what you will get. it will be any given combination or could even be all one or the other sex. it's more likely some kind of combinations. Hope this helps.

 

[ant888]

I heard that you can tell by how the growing feathers look. Is this true?

 

[ant888]

Does anyone know if baby chicks that are hens grow their tail faster then roosters?

 

[gemtruker]

i look at the combs when they get about a month old. normally, larger comb compared to the others, rooster. one of my friends checks for pimple on leg for spur. so far, they all have them, so not accurate.

 

[ant888]

i look at the combs when they get about a month old.  normally, larger comb compared to the others, rooster. one of my friends checks for pimple on leg for spur.  so far, they all have them, so not accurate.

Do the wing feathers matter?

 

[azygous]

The wing feather development in the first week may indicate male or female. But yours may be already too old for this.

Try examining and comparing wing stubs. The girls may have longer, uneven and staggered feather growth. The boys may be only getting started, and the feather growth will be much shorter, but even, not staggered like the girls.

Yes, for the same reason girls get their wings quicker, so do their tail feathers come in a bit sooner. But by two weeks, all have pretty much arrived at the same growth stage, and it's difficult to find much difference.

 

[ant888]

Does anyone think my chicks are hens if they have overlapping wings? Something like this: Small uneven wing feathers under large uneven wings on the top? If no one understands, I'll link the picture.

 

[azygous]

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.