Gender

[English Hen]

Any basic rules for sexing chicks at 10 weeks ? need to know all mixed breeds but I cannot keep Roos Thanks:/

 

[extraordinaryfowl]

By then most cockerels will have bigger, redder combs and wattles, their shiny hackles and saddle feathers should be developing, they should be slightly bigger (then the females of the same breed) and typically their tails are longer. MW

 

[English Hen]

can,t seem to get this on the post ooops

 

[English Hen]

Thanks I am still getting to grips with computor stuff. 2 are deffinately larger & seem to play fight sometimes. Wish I had access to the person I got the eggs from. They are all soo different.

 

[stoopid]

You'll pick it up slowly. If Stoopid can post, anybody can do it!!
Try to post a picture, we can see and give you pointers.

 

[Illia]

extraordinaryfowl - Umm, no, their hackles and saddles will NOT be developing that young. Tail length has nothing to do with it either.



At 10 weeks, the easiest way to tell is by comb size/redness and also in certain breeds the females are a different color or pattern from the males. Easter Eggers, Brown Leghorns, Wyandottes, Barred Rocks, Cuckoo Marans - All sexable by color.

 

[extraordinaryfowl]

Quote:
I'm sorry, but I keep track of the age of my birds, and I do routinely have roosters that young developing saddles and hackles. Also, your right that in not all breeds such as Cubalaya and Phoenix the males's tail's develop faster, but in others (including sex-linked crosses I have done and breeds such as Dominiques) The male's tails DO develop faster - I have seen it for myself.

Coloring is also another great way (as stated above) to tell sex, although some breeds do look alike until the roosters develop their shine. Best of luck determining the sex of your chicks - MW