Can I tell this early?

[SkyWarrior]

I have 4 little fuzz butts I hatched in an incubator about a week ago. I ended up with 1 FBCM, 1 BLCM, 1 CM and 1 Blue Orpington.

Now at 1 week the FBCM and the CM have big combs. The BLCM and BLO, not so much. I'm thinking I have a split in the sexes with the FBCM and CM being roos. I'll try to take picts tomorrow. Can you really tell this early? It's fine if I have one or two roos, I just would like to plan.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Sometimes I can

Post some pictures and I might be able to help ya out!

 

[SkyWarrior]

Here are the picts:

3 week old chicks

 

[tnchickenut]

It's too late now, but in the first few days you can check their wings (stadards only) and tell sex that way.

 

[SkyWarrior]

Quote:
Yeah, I know that. But I think I know what they are.

Here are day-old picts:

 

[silkiechicken]

Quote:
This can work on any breeding IF and ONLY if the father was a slow feathering bird and the moms are fast feathering. Most hatchery standards are bred this way enough that many roosters and hens follow this feather growth pattern.

 

[tnchickenut]

Quote:
This can work on any breeding IF and ONLY if the father was a slow feathering bird and the moms are fast feathering. Most hatchery standards are bred this way enough that many roosters and hens follow this feather growth pattern.

I always heard it is for all standards... that genetically all roosters feather slower then the girls.

 

[silkiechicken]

Most but not all do. Reason most do is becuase most chickens are from hatchery stocks and they have selectively bred for this trait for decades. Kind of how they have selectively bred the cornish x meat bird to mature so fast. No modern genetic engineering or crazy hormone stuff, pure selection.