How can I tell if a chick is male or female?

[oherman]

I am going to incubate for the first time with some fertile Easter Egger eggs. My town that I live in does not allow Roosters. Should I just order day-old chicks or take the chance and get some hatching eggs then give away the rooster(s) if I get one? Any Suggestions would be extremely helpful!

 

[mandelyn]

The only way to really decrease the odds of getting boys is day-old SEXED chicks, that are all supposed to be female.

Straight run or hatching eggs, you'll likely get more than 1! My last hatch did 3 boys, 3 girls. It isn't unheard of to get more boys than girls.

 

[ButchGood]

50 50 chance with each egg. So there's a possibility to get ALL roosters or all hens. Most people I know get a pretty even mix.

 

[ButchGood]

Its a toss up in the Poll:day old chicks or hatching eggs.
Hatching eggs is so exciting. When the start to break through the whole family comes together around the incubator.
Day old chicks you get exactly what you want. If you want a certain breed all hens and one rooster with thier inoculations, you can get it.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Day old sexed chicks is the safest way to go. You will find it very difficult to rehome excess roosters unless they are ready to eat and you don't care if they get eaten.

It depends upon what quality bird you hope to have, Sexed chicks generally come from hatcheries and they sell hatchery quality birds.

Very few breeders sell sexed chicks, and a lot of breeders don't ship chicks at all. If you want their birds and you don't live close enough to pick up, you buy hatching eggs.

If hatchery quality birds meet your needs, then buy sexed chicks.

The only 100% certain way to never get a rooster is to buy started pullets.

 

[Clay Mudd]

Day old chicks you get exactly what you want.

Well, you pay for what you want...