Hen or Roo? Just hold them upside down!

[maggiemooscluckers]

My son had an old-time chicken farmer tell him that the way to tell if a young chicken was a hen or a roo was to hold them upside down by their feet. If the chicken just hangs upside down with out much of a fight it is a hen. If it is a roo it will try to free itself and try to raise it's head and body. I tried it with my 1 1/2 week old babies and it seemed to work. I have straight run chicks and what are supposed to be hens. The "hens" just hung there when I tried it with them. Some of the straight run definitely tried to free themselves. Has anyone else heard of such a thing? Will you try it and let me know if it works for you? It seemed to for my babies.

 

[Kittymomma]

I've heard of it and it works---about 50% of the time.

 

[speckledhen]

If you flip a quarter, you'll get about the same odds. That is one of many old wives' (or farmers') tales.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

If it were that easy to sex chicks then the hatcheries wouldn't need to pay vent sexers as much as they do.

 

[NeoRoey]

That's a great way to tell! It makes the odds of being correct a whole 50% O_O

 

[Dar]

I have heard its cruel to do that

 

[usschicago1]

Quote:
It is, it puts stress on there lungs. It could cause damage if it happens for a long time/repeatedly.

 

[Dar]

Quote:
It is, it puts stress on there lungs. It could cause damage if it happens for a long time/repeatedly.

thats what i thought... now a question sorry for the hijack!

what if you hold their body in the palm of your hand like they are lying on their back?.. does this stress them out too?... my NN will sit like that while i clean her vent... she is in the ICU right now and needs 24/7 care we are hoping she will regain the use of her legs

 

[NYREDS]

Quote:
Except for the times it doesn't

 

[Kittymomma]

Quote:
Except for the times it doesn't

Exactly!