Dinosauer
In the Brooder
- Sep 14, 2019
- 14
- 26
- 39
If you know other useful methodes - please add them to this thred.
In my new YouTube-video (linked below) I explain 10 methods on how to identify male and female chicken chicks. Some are only good hints – some are 99% proof. Its really nice to know early whether or not your chick is a rooster or a hen. Or the chick you are going to buy...
genetic sex-linked inheritance of plumage color
When mating certain colors you can be 100% sure whether it is a rooster or a hen based on the color of the chicks.
Example: A black rooster on a barred hen always results in dark barred male chicks and black female chicks. You could say the color switches gender in this specific case.
all barred breeds
This works with all barred breeds if the father-rooster is light barred and not dark barred. Light barred means that he is geneticaly carring both alleles for barred. This makes the light stripes of the feathers bigger than the black stripes compared with only one allele for barred. Females are only able to carry one allele for barred. Thats why the light chicks are the males and the dark chicks are female.
If your father-rooster was dark barred =that means genetically one times barred then there will be light and dark barred rooster chicks and dark barred hens. But the light barred are allways the male chicks.
fledge
Usually little roosters are fledging a bit slower than little hens. In male chicks the fletching is more irregular in some body areas, sometimes there are bald spots on the shoulders, back or on the arms. With hens the fledging is nice and even. Simpel speaking: the female chicks are looking neater. The male ones are rather disheveled.
body shape looking from above:
Male chicks are slightly larger overall, but rather compact. The female chicks are a bit smaller and more elongated. I can see differences in size quite well, but I find it hard to identify rather elongated female chicks in the shape. But maybe your breed is better suited for this method?
posture
The little roosters stand more erect and watchful. The hens are more crouched. This tip is not very meaningful on its own. But in combination with other methods it can be a valuable indicator for gender recognition for chicken chicks.
combs and wattles
Even with the small roosters, the combs are often larger, thicker and more bulky. The combs turn orange much earlier. With my Crevecoeur breed this happens around the 4th week. The combs of the female chicks are smaller, more filigree and remain yellow flesh-colored for a much longer time. The combs on my Cc hen chicks often have black tips.
heads
In the case of male chicks they are somewhat larger, appear grimmer, more distinctive, more angular. In case of the female rather smaller, more delicate and rounded.
legs
Later the roosters will get bigger rings than the hens because their legs are thicker. Even with the chicks you can see a clear difference: The legs of a male chick are a bit longer, sturdy, thicker, you may see little spores more clearly. The legs of the female chicks are a bit shorter and more delicate.
weight
When fully adult, roosters of the same chicken breed should always weigh more than the hens. In the case of my Cc, the roosters should weigh a good 3 kg, the hens 2.5 kg. That is a difference of around 20+%. The male chicks also eat more in order to grow faster. If you weigh a group of chicks from the same hatch, then with some chicks a very clear picture emerges as to whether it is a rooster or a hen. The whole group cannot be divided into male or female by weight because the stronger hens and the weaker roos overlap in the weight middle field. But the heaviest 20% are almost certainly male and the lightest 20% are very likely female.
behavior and reaction test
Later on, roosters have to be vigilant, settle disputes and oppose attackers. Even as a chick they are a little more curious, brisk, daring and louder.
Two male chicks also practice ranking battles. Stand face to face, jump up in front of each other and kick their feet. Flutter wings as an act of showing off or just jump onto a brother. Hens tend to appear more shy, more reserved and stay in the background. But there may also be "aggressive and loud" female chicks.
If you want to catch untamed chicks from the 3rd day of life or later, usually all of them flee, but possibly not the alpha rooster chick. If you have a chick in your hand, in my opinion the small males defend themselves much more than the female chicks.
Related bonus tip: Reaction test:
If you fake a bird of prey that flies over the chicks: Throw a soft object (towel) over the chicks and observe the reaction: The male chicks instinctively stand there with their heads raised and alert and may already give a warning signal: RED alert! Shields up! Occupy the weapon stations! The chick hens tend to crouch and remain still.
In my video I give examples for every method, enjoy:
In my new YouTube-video (linked below) I explain 10 methods on how to identify male and female chicken chicks. Some are only good hints – some are 99% proof. Its really nice to know early whether or not your chick is a rooster or a hen. Or the chick you are going to buy...
genetic sex-linked inheritance of plumage color
When mating certain colors you can be 100% sure whether it is a rooster or a hen based on the color of the chicks.
Example: A black rooster on a barred hen always results in dark barred male chicks and black female chicks. You could say the color switches gender in this specific case.
all barred breeds
This works with all barred breeds if the father-rooster is light barred and not dark barred. Light barred means that he is geneticaly carring both alleles for barred. This makes the light stripes of the feathers bigger than the black stripes compared with only one allele for barred. Females are only able to carry one allele for barred. Thats why the light chicks are the males and the dark chicks are female.
If your father-rooster was dark barred =that means genetically one times barred then there will be light and dark barred rooster chicks and dark barred hens. But the light barred are allways the male chicks.
fledge
Usually little roosters are fledging a bit slower than little hens. In male chicks the fletching is more irregular in some body areas, sometimes there are bald spots on the shoulders, back or on the arms. With hens the fledging is nice and even. Simpel speaking: the female chicks are looking neater. The male ones are rather disheveled.
body shape looking from above:
Male chicks are slightly larger overall, but rather compact. The female chicks are a bit smaller and more elongated. I can see differences in size quite well, but I find it hard to identify rather elongated female chicks in the shape. But maybe your breed is better suited for this method?
posture
The little roosters stand more erect and watchful. The hens are more crouched. This tip is not very meaningful on its own. But in combination with other methods it can be a valuable indicator for gender recognition for chicken chicks.
combs and wattles
Even with the small roosters, the combs are often larger, thicker and more bulky. The combs turn orange much earlier. With my Crevecoeur breed this happens around the 4th week. The combs of the female chicks are smaller, more filigree and remain yellow flesh-colored for a much longer time. The combs on my Cc hen chicks often have black tips.
heads
In the case of male chicks they are somewhat larger, appear grimmer, more distinctive, more angular. In case of the female rather smaller, more delicate and rounded.
legs
Later the roosters will get bigger rings than the hens because their legs are thicker. Even with the chicks you can see a clear difference: The legs of a male chick are a bit longer, sturdy, thicker, you may see little spores more clearly. The legs of the female chicks are a bit shorter and more delicate.
weight
When fully adult, roosters of the same chicken breed should always weigh more than the hens. In the case of my Cc, the roosters should weigh a good 3 kg, the hens 2.5 kg. That is a difference of around 20+%. The male chicks also eat more in order to grow faster. If you weigh a group of chicks from the same hatch, then with some chicks a very clear picture emerges as to whether it is a rooster or a hen. The whole group cannot be divided into male or female by weight because the stronger hens and the weaker roos overlap in the weight middle field. But the heaviest 20% are almost certainly male and the lightest 20% are very likely female.
behavior and reaction test
Later on, roosters have to be vigilant, settle disputes and oppose attackers. Even as a chick they are a little more curious, brisk, daring and louder.
Two male chicks also practice ranking battles. Stand face to face, jump up in front of each other and kick their feet. Flutter wings as an act of showing off or just jump onto a brother. Hens tend to appear more shy, more reserved and stay in the background. But there may also be "aggressive and loud" female chicks.
If you want to catch untamed chicks from the 3rd day of life or later, usually all of them flee, but possibly not the alpha rooster chick. If you have a chick in your hand, in my opinion the small males defend themselves much more than the female chicks.
Related bonus tip: Reaction test:
If you fake a bird of prey that flies over the chicks: Throw a soft object (towel) over the chicks and observe the reaction: The male chicks instinctively stand there with their heads raised and alert and may already give a warning signal: RED alert! Shields up! Occupy the weapon stations! The chick hens tend to crouch and remain still.
In my video I give examples for every method, enjoy:
