How can I tell the difference from between a young hen and a rooster

[coolchange]

I have someone looking to get rid of a couple chickens but she is not sure if they are hens or roosters. They were born in January so they are 3-4 months old. I am new to raising chickens so all I want right now is hens. Anyone know how to tell the difference at that age? Please foegive my ignorance and thanks in advance for any help or suggestions.

 

[bigzio]

cool, by this time you should be able to tell the difference. Check out the crop and waddles, and look at the tail feathers.

Posture of the chicks should also tell you what's a cockeral and what's a pullet by now.

Larger crop and waddles with upright posture and short tail feathers, prolly cockeral.

Smaller crop and waddles with more content posture, and longer tail feathers, prolly pullet.

If all the peeps are the same, you will need to decide if they are male or female.

Hope this helped some.

bigzio

 

[mudhen]

OK, I don't know nothing from nothing. But I read, right here in BYC, someone said that if you hold them on their back, the rooster will keep kicking, while the hen will stop after a short while.
There you go. Let me know if it works!

 

[Kimblee]

I was told to hold the little buggers by the legs, and if they squaked and struggled for more than a few minutes, they were cocks, if they went backwards and looked at me they were hens.

If its true, all my little fuzzies are hens.

 

[djwingo]

I am having the same problem i just bought 5 from the feedtore and have no idea i think i have 3 roos and 2 hens but the 2 are alot smaller ne way an old man at the feedstore {the owner} said if you hold them by the neck be careful not to squeeze lol if they pull their feet up its a roo if they leave there feet hang its a hen he said the odds are 9/10 so good luck when i figure out what mine are ill post it

 

[CashmereSussex]

well usually i ring test them by putting a ring on a 3 inch piece of string you pick up the chicken and turn it on its back hold the ring up over its stomach and if it goes in a circular motion it is probably a hen if it swings up and down it is a cockeral.

another thing when they are around 4-8 weeks the wattle and comb of the cockeral will grow larger than one on a hen

 

[chickens^^]

If you hold them on theri back, the hens will kick for a little while but the calm down. The rooster will keep on kicking. Also, look at the tips of their feathers. The hens will have rounded tips and the roosters will have pointed tips.

 

[JudyMcKinn]

Good heavens! This sounds like it is turning into a chicken torture session. Hold them by their feet, hold them by their neck, turn them on their backs...

Do you have any way to post a picture? On most chicks, the comb (not crop) and waddles will be more developed by now on chicks that size. What breed are they?

 

[mudhen]

all these suggestions do really sound rough on the poor chickies!

 

[AccidentalFarm]

Hold the bird over your head and chant "ohm, ahm, meee, sooo" 42 times, kick your left leg backwards once, stick out your tongue, and shake your bum. if the bird poo's on your head by the time you're done, its a roo.


Just Kidding...my oh my...this is a humorous thread...