blk & blu copper marans: when can I sex them?

[starbright bird]

My chicks are 3.5 weeks old. Yesterday I saw lots of 'playing chicken' when two birds race into each other almost chest first. Some pecking has begun, so I shuffled the brooder pens.

Some have larger combs than others. Then again, some seem to have none it seems.

I'm trying to find a pattern, but am confused.

Thoughts or directions to a. thread greatly appreciated.

 

[crazy chook]

You should have some idea by 6 weeks.

 

[aussieheelr]

At 3 weeks I was able to make a pretty good guess at my FBCM chicks by comb alone... but at this age it is truely a guess. By 5 weeks I'm sure! The little roo, oh man he's a turd lol.

 

[starbright bird]

It's looking like there's a lot of boys. Maybe two girls out of ten.

I'm curious, and being a newbie, I'll just ask. Can Marans be (reasonably) sexed at birth?

 

[pinkchick]

No, there is no way to sex them at hatch unless it is vent sexing and I understand one has to be very skilled in this, if not done properly it could hurt the chick.
However, there are a couple varieties that can be sexed by feather color, one being the Cuckoo variety which can be sexed as soon as the chick dries completely, then there is also the Wheaten Marans that can be sexed by feather color at about 1+ week of age.

That being said you should be able to sex the birds that you have now just by comb and wattle developement. Do you by chance have any photos of them you can post??

 

[Nostalchic]

Pinkchick, can you elaborate on the sexing of Cuckoo and Wheaten Marans by feather color at hatch/early feathering? Which color denotes which gender? I'm trying to figure out the gender of some youngsters, also. Thanks!

 

[starbright bird]

Nostalchic, pinkckick can give a definitive answer, however, with blk cuckoo marans, the female is darker and the markings more pronounced. (I hope I didn't reverse this

).

 

[starbright bird]

Pinkchick,

I'll see what my phone can do.