Does anyone know how to tell boy or girl when they hatch?

[Lisa202]

Since the hatcheries ship chicks when they are 1 day old, there must be a way to tell. Can we do that too? or is it too hard?

 

[Gypsy07]

Hatcheries vent-sex their chicks. I think it's quite difficult plus it can be very dangerous for the chick in the hands of an amateur.

ETA: I mean difficult to learn how to tell what you're looking at. Once you learn how, it must be easy. I've seen YouTube footage of hatchery workers vent-sexing chicks and it only takes them about a second per chick. Each person probably does tens of thousands a day. What a job. Spending all day looking up chickens' bottoms!

 

[enola]

When they are 3-4 days old, supposedly you can sex them by feather growth.

But, I can't remember if the pullets feather out on the wings faster than the cockerels or vise-versa

I am hoping someone a little less senile can remind me.

PS: I was in TSC when someone picking pullets out of a straight run bin showed me this trick. I actually did get 6 out of 6 pullets using this tip !

 

[JustAChickenLittle&More]

I heard the hens feather out quicker. But I wouldn't bet on that.

 

[enola]

Like I mentioned above, the tip really did work for me.......

And I wondered about it being the pullets. . . . .

 

[Lark Rise]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=455515

I just came across this helpful post.

 

[Lisa202]

thanks everyone!