Chicks from organic supermarket eggs

[keeper 1960]

how do the hatcheries do it?

 

[rosemarythyme]

My daughter can pick 6 day old chicks from the straight run same breed bin at the feed store and get all girls. She takes her time studying them and she says mostly it is looking at the feet and legs. Girls will have daintier legs and smaller feet (the center toe will be shorter). Its a slight difference but it works for her.

I now apply this to the sexed chick bins too, since there will be a few males that slip through the cracks. I look at the legs as well as behavior - I look for chicks that don't stand up as tall or look up assertively when the employees reach into the bins. Obviously that's not an exact science, but I'm just trying to stack the odds a little more in my favor.

If the chicks are more than a couple weeks old I can at least spot the most obvious males, so that makes it easier.

how do the hatcheries do it?

Vent sexing, which is not something that can be easily done at home and can harm the chick if done incorrectly.

 

[aart]

This little one is developing a comb much faster than the others but there is one that has delayed feather development... I'm so confused!
Oh and they all have a cheeky attitude learned from the one quail chick that was with them until recently.

I'd guess male there, it will become more obvious by 4-6 weeks.

Curious, @Spear1 what brand eggs did you buy to hatch.
Trader Joe's used to carry eggs labeled 'fertilized'...
....was quite the thing here a few years ago, many were hatching them.

 

[Spear1]

I'd guess male there, it will become more obvious by 4-6 weeks.

Curious, @Spear1 what brand eggs did you buy to hatch.
Trader Joe's used to carry eggs labeled 'fertilized'...
....was quite the thing here a few years ago, many were hatching them.

I live in Germany. The eggs I bought were "house brand" organic eggs from my local supermarket. I have the feeling that they are all boys since they are all developing spur buds and have rather cheeky attitudes.

 

[aart]

I live in Germany. The eggs I bought were "house brand" organic eggs from my local supermarket. I have the feeling that they are all boys since they are all developing spur buds and have rather cheeky attitudes.

Both genders have spur buds, spurs on males don't really start growing until the bird is ~6 months old.

Oh, and..... Welcome to BYC! @Spear1
Here's how to add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!

 

[CindyinSD]

Cheeky attitudes, however, can be a semi-reliable indicator.

 

[Spear1]

Well turns out that one is definitely a rooster! He has started to try and crow already at just 7 weeks of age!