At what age can gender be determined?

[Justicedog]

At what age can gender be determined for non-bantam chickens? I've got and Americauna, a Blue Rock, a Lavender Orpington, Partridge Rock and a French Black Copper Marans. They are mostly just turning 4 weeks old. (The Partridge Rock would be 4 weeks and 3 days, the Marans would be 3 weeks, 4 days).

I know it's too early, but soon maybe?

And when you say how old they are, are they 4 weeks when they've completed their 4th week or when they start on their 4th week? And do you presume they were hatched the day before the feed store gets them?


(It's like I'm a kid at Christmas time).

 

[MountainWoman73]

Usually you can start guessing around 6-7 weeks, and tell for sure by 10-12 weeks. Some breeds are trickier than others.

 

[Mamatomany123]

Some.males can be determined early on. If it's not obvious then 6-8 weeks is a good range.

 

[JedJackson]

It depends on the development of the birds. They don't all grow at the same rate. But generally 7 weeks is a good time.

With your partridge rock, if it is feathered out on the breast, then it would probably be possible to tell now. Black feathers at the breast mean it is male-- if those feathers are brown, then most likely a female. This is because males and females of that color pattern have different coloring, and this is true for certain other color patterns, too.

 

[Jenessa_09]

Yeah some breeds like silkies are hard to tell, last year when we hatched out chicks I thought one was a chicken for about six months and didn’t know why he didn’t lay eggs then I heard him crow!!