egg laying and telling the sex

[Morganfarms]

My chicks are 8 wks old. How long before they lay eggs, and how can i tell a hen from a rooster?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

My chicks are 8 wks old. How long before they lay eggs, and how can i tell a hen from a rooster?

What breed(s) are your birds? Sexual identification varies because certain breeds will have characteristics that go beyond the basic feathering difference you see in all breeds. Additionally, different breeds have different general ages for onset of production. A general window for first laying is 22-28 weeks with some laying at 18 weeks or earlier and others taking 8+ months to mature.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Since your birds are 8 weeks, if you take and post some photos of them we can give you a pretty good idea of genders.