How do you tell a male from female?

[HallChicks]

In the spring I ordered 4 chickens and have been raising them ever since. Last week one of my 'ladies' started crowing and so we had to find him another home (out on a nice farm instead of here in the city...). I kept telling my husband- it cannot be a male because it looks just like those other two.... I think we have 2 more roosters How can you tell? I picked up the smallest one we have (I think she is a chicken...) and was trying to see if I could find her vent. What does it look like? Where is it? Is that a good way to determine if it is a female? They are almost 23 weeks old and we have not seen any eggs (they are silver-laced Wyandottes). I am getting very concerned that we were sent all roosters.

Any help in figuring out the sex of chickens would be great!!!

 

[arlee453]

Can you post pictures?? That would be a quick way to get a definitive answer from the folks here with more experience than I.

Usually the males have longer tail feathers and pointed feathers on the back, but it varies from breed to breed. I'd think by the age your guys are that it'd be possible to tell with pics pretty quickly.

We have SL Wyandottes alos, but our girls are only 6 wks old. I think they are beautiful birds!

Susan

 

[Frozen Feathers]

Post pictures.

Signs of a roo....larger, redder comb, pointed feathers at base of tail (the saddle) and neck (the hackle) a tail that curls over like a squirrels tail.

 

[Newchickenmom&kids]

Can you post some pics???

The easiest way for me to tell with mine was to watch as they grew...the males seemed to not have tail feathers while the femailes tail feathers popped right up..my males almost looked rumpless.

At 23 weeks I would think you should be able to tell from their feathers.

 

[silkiechicken]

Yeah, post pics. Their vents are where the poo exits and it's right under their tails. You can't tell gender from looking at it though unless they have started to lay eggs.

 

[HallChicks]

I just went out and took these. Any insights?

 

[Frozen Feathers]

looks like 2 girls and two boys to me. in the 1st pic the 2 on th left are the girls and the 2 on the right are the boys. I'd say loose one of the boys, or your hens are going to bare.

 

[Newchickenmom&kids]

I think 3 and four are roos....the others look like ladies..

In the first pic..it looks like the two on the left are ladies and the two on the right are gents...

 

[HallChicks]

Hey Angie n Maine,

I am sorry to sound stupid, but what do you mean 'lose one of the boys or your hens are going to be bare."?

 

[Frozen Feathers]

No, you don't sound stupid...just learning, we all had to learn this stuff, too.

The boys will mate your girls so much the girls will loose feathers on their back. It can happen with just one roo also, but won't be as bad. With a small number of girls, the roosters are more likely to fight, as well. So if you are planning on keeping a rooster it should only be one...or add a bunch of girls, like 10 or 12 more.