Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[Beekissed]

If you know what you are looking at, you can tell when they are chicks and then when are first feathering out. The way the feathers grow, the stance of the bird, the alignment of the body as it walks, etc.

I guess I never really thought enough about it to mark the time/age of the birds as my flocks aren't geared toward isolating or getting rid of a roo ASAP. I keep them around until I kill them for food or use them to replace an oldster that is shooting blanks. I just look at them as they grow and note, "Oh, there's a roo...that means that hatch had this many hens, this many roos." Never really stopped to think how old they were when I noted the difference.

Any other OT that pays attention to such things have a handle on it?

 

[ONSTAD1]

In my experience, it varies greatly from breed to breed. With my sizzle cockerel I have now, I knew for sure that he was a cockerel at 2 weeks of age because he started crowing (or at least, he tried crowing anyway). He had a big comb and set of wattles at 1 1/2 months. Right now I've got a splash cochin that I still don't know if it's a boy or girl. She/he is almost 2 1/2 months old. It acts like a girl but has a larger comb than the other girls. Can you upload a pic of yours that you think may be a cockerel? I'm usually pretty good with sexing. A full body shot accompanied by a head shot is best.

it's a 5.5 week EE

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

it's a 5.5 week EE

It has a roo stance and a good size comb. It has a female color pattern on it's feathers. Easter eggers are tricky. If it starts to get red blotches on it's wings then it's a rooster. EE pullets (usually) have an even color pattern across the whole body. Watch for that over the coming weeks before you get rid of it. Blotchy color= roo. Even pattern=hen. At this point, it's too early to be for sure in my opinion.

 

[ONSTAD1]

It has a roo stance and a good size comb. It has a female color pattern on it's feathers. Easter eggers are tricky. If it starts to get red blotches on it's wings then it's a rooster. EE pullets (usually) have an even color pattern across the whole body. Watch for that over the coming weeks before you get rid of it. Blotchy color= roo. Even pattern=hen. At this point, it's too early to be for sure in my opinion.

sounds like good advice...we'll just ride this one out and see how it goes

thanks

mo

 

[Marty1876]

It is a bad time to sex by sight. They defiantely will need a bit more time. Espcially since the comb size is quite variable, and thus still unpredictable.

 

[Greybear23]

Want to take this chance to say thank you to those that have and are praying for the people, places and firefighters in the fires that are all over Oklahoma, my parents and sister had to evacuate the fire in Glencoe (my home town) and came to my home in Morrison for the day, they are all back home safe and from what I have heard this morning all my families houses were saved, I had one cousin that saved his home but lost the house behind him and the barn and house across the road from him, have several friends in Glencoe that lost homes, barns, outbuildings, animals, hay and all their belongings, should anyone wish to help by donating to any of these people please contact me and I will find out where to help the most and get you in contact with the right people to help the most!!! Thank you all and God bless those firefighters of Oklahoma!!!! Lynn

 

[normanack]

Want to take this chance to say thank you to those that have and are praying for the people, places and firefighters in the fires that are all over Oklahoma . . . .

And I thought it was tough here with plain old heat. God bless you all and keep safe.

 

[al6517]

Quote:

Thanks Walt............... Here ya go LOL

 

[galanie]

LOLOL!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[fowlman01]

You gotta tell those newbies over in the heritage thread that these Cornish are not an easy breed. They seem to have it all figured out and they don't believe me. It is kind of strange what and who they believe on here. I figure if I start making some stuff up some one will believe me....lol

Walt