Culling chicks - how do you do it?

[JacinLarkwell]

Maybe you should wait until you are 100% percent sure they are roosters. 3 to 4 weeks old is way too early!!! At that point there's no way to be certain((

If they're crowing and have bright red combs, it's pretty certain

 

[Chickn Keaper]

If they're crowing and have bright red combs, it's pretty certain

If they are 3 to 4 weeks old they can't possibly be crowing and likely don't have any combs yet. They probably aren't fully feathered.

If they're crowing and have bright red combs, it's pretty certain

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I had a little boy that started (trying to) crow for a few days before he went back to silence for a few months to finish growing.

And you can't possibly tell me that these don't look like males despite only being 4 weeks old at the time.

 

[Chickn Keaper]

I had a little boy that started (trying to) crow for a few days before he went back to silence for a few months to finish growing.

And you can't possibly tell me that these don't look like males despite only being 4 weeks old at the time. View attachment 3219527View attachment 3219526

They could be but they could be fast developing hens... your chickens...

 

[JacinLarkwell]

They could be but they could be fast developing hens... your chickens...

They're not. Their sisters all have normal combs for their age as pullets.

 

[3KillerBs]

I had a little boy that started (trying to) crow for a few days before he went back to silence for a few months to finish growing.

And you can't possibly tell me that these don't look like males despite only being 4 weeks old at the time. View attachment 3219527
View attachment 3219526

I can always tell my Blue Australorps by 4-5 weeks. The boys put their combs up early.

 

[Chickn Keaper]

Maybe you should wait until you are 100% percent sure they are roosters. 3 to 4 weeks old is way too early!!! At that point there's no way to be certain((

Even better, re-home them..

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Even better, re-home them..

Are you offering? It's way easier said than done

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Are you offering? It's way easier said than done

^^^ so very true.

 

[NatJ]

Maybe you should wait until you are 100% percent sure they are roosters. 3 to 4 weeks old is way too early!!! At that point there's no way to be certain((

After they're dead, I can be certain: cut them open and look inside for testicles.

I prefer to start with the one who has the biggest comb and work my way down by comb size, checking each one after killing it. Often I can be 100% correct, but I never have more than one oops (because if I find a pullet, I know not to do any more.)