How old before you can tell if its a rooster?

[debid]

Yeah, my Jane is a big baby -- tries to tuck under the Welsummer's wing all of the time. I'm posting pics on the breed/gender board (even though I can guess what the answer will be) so you can see what I mean about the tail looking curled as soon as the photos are uploaded.

 

[sne264]

My 17wk chick has been crowing almost every morning at 6:30am for two weeks but her (his?) feathers look like all the other hens. Chicken or Rooster???? Ugghh I don’t want any Roosters.

 

[STACEYH]

If you post pics. there are folks that can tell you. If it crows I would be 99% sure it's a cockerel.

 

[mbradley]

Thank you so much that is really helpful

I have one that acts really different than the rest - stares us down is really alert and always seems to be "tending" the to the rest - her name is Princess and I am hoping she is not a Prince

I have one that acts different than the rest too! She eats last, won’t eat the meals worms out of my hand but scratches them off and to the ground so the others can get them. She is kind of a loner. Nobody picks on her but she kind of does her own thing. My chicks are almost 10 weeks.

 

[Valalilly]

How old are chicks when you can tell if its a rooster? These are my first chicks (and I ordered females, 10% chance of them being males??) and I am wondering how old they usually are when they crow for the first time or what kinds of traits to look for to tell the difference? I read before something about the shape of the feathers?? Anybody know? Thanks!

Really depends on the breed. I had one where it was absolutely clear at 3 weeks, another one where I had (correct) suspicions at 2 weeks, but at 4 weeks started wondering if it wasn't a girlie after all to get my initial suspicions confirmed at 5 weeks. My bantam Cochins seems to grow a super red comb nearly overnight at 4 weeks and started showing very obvious rooster like behavior then too.