how can i tell what gender my chick is when it first hatches?

[little_giant]

my state doesnt allow roosters so i need to return the roos.
when my chicken eggs hatch how can i tell the gender of my chick?

 

[CarriBrown]

You can't. People who are able to accurately sex chicks can make thousands of dollars a day. I doubt your STATE doesn't allow roos, but a city not allowing roos is quite common.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

There are a few breeds that can be sexed by color at hatch. They're called Sex-Links because their color is genetically linked to their sex. There are Red Sex-Links where the males are yellow-y white and the females are reddish-brown right from the start. And there are Black Sex-Links where the females are all black and the males are black with a white spot on the head.

I think there are also some breeds that can be sexed by looking at the tiny new feathers on their wing tips, one sex looks like lllllll and the other looks like ililililili Does anyone know which breeds can be sexed like that?

Since you know you won't be keeping your roos you should make your plans now for the destiny of all the roos you get in your hatch. But there's no need to get rid of your roos right after they hatch. The main reason some communities bar roosters is because of the noise they make crowing. And the roosters you hatch won't be doing that for many weeks, there will be ample time to determine the sex of your chicks.

 

[MysticScorpio82]

There has to be a way to tell, or else the hatcheries can't offer the 90% accuracy on their day old chicks (in terms of gender). I don't know how to tell, I just believe there has to be a way. If I find and info on the subject I will make another post, because now you have me all curious

hehe.

 

[Missouri Maiden]

If the feathers are uneven(IiIi) then it's a hen and even is male.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Mystic, look at the 2nd post--that's your answer as to how the hatcheries sex most of their chicks.

Missouri, that only works if certain genes are bred into the birds--typical of a few, but only a few breeds.