Cold weather is coming....

[Judy]

And another untrained, "expert" feed store employee strikes.... There is no provision to train them in chicken raising and care, usually. At my feed store, the manager, who had been there a lifetime, was delighted when I showed him how he could tell the male and female Barred Rock chicks apart. At least he doesn't pretend he knows more than he does.

 

[TK421]

when I showed him how he could tell the male and female Barred Rock chicks apart. At least he doesn't pretend he knows more than he does.

DDawn, How do you do this? I haven't heard this trick!​

 

[harewizard]

Quote:
DDawn, How do you do this? I haven't heard this trick!

Sorry to jump in

I'm not DDawn but I think I can answer your question; Females have large dark spots on their heads, where as males tend to have splotchy irregular lighter spots. I read that a barred rock is also considered a sex-link chick in that you can tell by the coloring on the legs. Pullets have black coloring on the leg where cockerels have a more gray to yellow coloring down the front of the leg. Male chicks are universally darker than female chicks.

HTH,
Lisa

 

[Beekissed]

Here's another tip for keeping your birds toasty...instead of hay bedding, use pine shavings and leave the bedding in there all winter. Throw a little BOSS in the shavings now and again and the birds will keep it turned and dry for you. Add to the bedding as it subsides and the composting of the litter will keep their tootsies dry and warm.

My flock love it and I haven't had a frost bit comb since utilizing the pine bedding and letting it get deep.