How soon will I know if they are male or female?

[Mrs. Green Thumbs]

Iv researched on and off for about 2 years (essentially when ever I caught some chicky fever I was overwhelming google with questions). But the side effect is that I have run across many different ideas about raising chicken's. So I'm just a tad bit confused... At what age EXACTLY should we be very sure that our chick's are (hopefully) female? And What should be the first sign? The second? ect. We have 2 Plymouth Rock chicks, lilly and Violet the twins, 1 (I'v been told) Easter Egger, Jazzy girl Jasmin (she is the smallest) and 1 Road Island Red, Rose. The twins and rose are BIG the lady said they were 1 week old and now they "should" be 2 weeks old but MAN they are BIG for 2 weeks old. They have lot's of feather's. Still downy on the body but yah.... The EE is much smaller and was sick when we first got her home. She is doing much better now though. She is half their size and even has a different temperament. I swear when I tickled her tummy last night I thought I saw her do a chicky like laugh... Any way's we wont have the heart to cull them if they are boy's... oh I hope they are girls.

 

[Happy Chooks]

It depends on the breed. I have pure Ameraucana's that are almost 12 weeks old, and I'm still not 100% sure on them. I either have 4 pullets or 3 pullets and a roo.

If your Plymouth Rocks are barred, most of the time you can tell right away. You can definitely tell by the time the wing feathers come in. (with a few exceptions) The RIR you should have a pretty good idea by 4 weeks. The EE is going to take the longest to tell sex.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Post pics and we'll take a stab at it.

 

[ilovebuffs]

This might help you...

Sexing chicks-4-6wks of age
According to UC Davis Veterinary Care Program.
2. Physical Characteristics (4-6 weeks of age)
a. Comb – The cockerels comb is medium size and pinkish, the pullets is small and yellowish.
b. Legs – The cockerel’s legs are sturdy and long, the pullets are finer and shorter.
c. Tail – The cockerel’s tail is stumpy and curved, the pullets is longer and straight.
d. Back – The cockerel has a thin line of stub feathers down the center of his back, the pullet has more advanced feathering along the center of her back.
e. Side of neck, flank and crop – The feathering in the cockerel in these areas is poorly advanced, the pullets feathering in these areas is well advanced.
f. Wing bows – In the cockerel the wing bows are bare, in pullets the wing bows are covered with small feathers.

I know you may have a couple weeks to go, but it's useful information. I have it saved in a word doc. Hope it helps

 

[Mrs. Green Thumbs]

Well I only have a very good picture of the EE, I'll go home and snap a few tonight of the rest of the girls. Also if you could give me a guesstimate on how old they all are that would rock!

 

[Mrs. Green Thumbs]

EE, Jazzy Jasmin

Leg's of Violet, one barred rock

Violet

I'll take more pictures tonight

 

[ilovebuffs]

My guess on Jazzy Jasmin as far as age is about 2-3wks. I just hatched BLR wyandottes and their wings have shorter feathers by maybe a couple days-they were hatched on March 29th.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I'm going to say about 2 weeks. Although mine that are 2 weeks have feathers coming in on their shoulders and a teeny bit on their tail.

On the Barred rock: Are the feathers coming in on the wings more black with white edging or more white with black edging. If more black with white edging, it's a female.

Here's a boy:

 

[Mrs. Green Thumbs]

Violet -

Rose -

Lilly -

Jasmin - My favorite little girl... she's in serious trouble, she has an abscess

 

[Mrs. Green Thumbs]

Any body?