Chickens

[chickenlittle25]

Hey, I am new with the chicken business is there anyway you can determine the gender of a chicken by their size ?

 

[Duckopolis]

I hope you find everything that you need to know. Good luck with your chicken raising adventure!

The females will usually grow a little faster than the males. If they are bigger, they may be a female, but size isn't a 100% accurate way to tell.

 

[TwoCrows]

Welcome to BYC!

Size is not a good determination of sex. Each chick grows at a different rate. Pullets can shoot up like bean stalks, towering over all the other pullets in the brooder, while other pullets grow very slowly.

Usually around week 3 or 4, depending on the breed, you may start to see fast growing combs and wattles turning red, the potential cockerels will have much thicker legs than the pullets, the feathering on the cockerels will be much slower than the pullets and pretty soon they will develop the classic saddle and hackle feathers...pointy and long. Even some cockerels may start practicing the crow!

If you have older chicks you are concerned with, post their pics in our What Gender section here on BYC for some ideas...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/15/what-breed-or-gender-is-this

Good luck with your babies enjoy all your adventures!

 

[Duckopolis]

Welcome to BYC!

Size is not a good determination of sex. Each chick grows at a different rate. Pullets can shoot up like bean stalks, towering over all the other pullets in the brooder, while other pullets grow very slowly.

Usually around week 3 or 4, depending on the breed, you may start to see fast growing combs and wattles turning red, the potential cockerels will have much thicker legs than the pullets, the feathering on the cockerels will be much slower than the pullets and pretty soon they will develop the classic saddle and hackle feathers...pointy and long. Even some cockerels may start practicing the crow!

If you have older chicks you are concerned with, post their pics in our What Gender section here on BYC for some ideas...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/15/what-breed-or-gender-is-this

Good luck with your babies enjoy all your adventures!

Second paragraph, that's what I was going to say.

 

[chickenlittle25]

A few of my birds like to perch.... Does that mean anything ? they are supposed to be all girls.

 

[Duckopolis]

A few of my birds like to perch.... Does that mean anything ? they are supposed to be all girls.

All chickens like a roost whether they are boys or girls. The boys with usually get the highest spot on the perch, but it is an instinct that tells chickens to get up high.

 

[chickenlittle25]

What should I feed chicks that are 2 weeks old ?

 

[Duckopolis]

What should I feed chicks that are 2 weeks old ?

Medicated chick starter.

 

[chickenlittle25]

Thank you all for taking the time to answer my questions

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC. Size, perching, mock fighting - both pullets and cockerels carry on these activities. Cockerels will show earlier comb development; also, pointy hackle, sickle, and saddle feathers will start to appear on the cockerels as they attain puberty - then of course there's the crowing.