How to sex chickens before they start crowing or laying?

[Rachel96]

Thanks!

 

[rockyhillchick]

I had no idea how to tell what kind of chicken I was buying at our local Co-op. I ran into an older gentleman farmer, in his 80's at least, who showed me a trick...new chicks, day old to a week or two, gently pick them up by the head (place the thumb and fingers together around the neck with the head towards the palm), if the chick allows the legs to hang loose, it's a pullet; if the chick pulls up the legs and kicks over and over, it's a cockeral. I didn't believe it, but I tried it, and it worked. For the past 3 years I have used this trick on at least 50 chicks per season, it has not failed me yet. This year, I went to the Co-op and reached into the tub that had the sign "Pullets", started picking out the ones I wanted, and they all kicked like heck, I asked the man working why all these cocks were in the tub, he said there aren't any, just pullets...I showed him the trick, he thought I was crazy, I kept one of those little kickers, and went through the lot to find some danglers. That was 4 months ago; when I went to feed today that one kicker chick was trying to crow...go figure.

 

[hearts34]

I had an aunt who worked in a white leghorn hatchery for years. She was a pro at sexing chicks by the wings. Something about the feather rows?
Not sure, but she was 100% accurate all the time. Maybe someone here knows about looking at the wings?

 

[LeJeune1]

Not sure of the correct terminology, but for 1,2 & 3, day old chicks- male wing feathers are all about the same length, but female chicks have some long and some short wing feathers. when comparred to one another- there is a visable difference. I think this works for many breeds.

 

[Beans Eggs]

Rockyhillchick- does that work with ducklings? Great tip too!

 

[Beans Eggs]

I had no idea how to tell what kind of chicken I was buying at our local Co-op.  I ran into an older gentleman farmer, in his 80's at least, who showed me a trick...new chicks, day old to a week or two, gently pick them up by the head (place the thumb and fingers together around the neck with the head towards the palm), if the chick allows the legs to hang loose, it's a pullet; if the chick pulls up the legs and kicks over and over, it's a cockeral.  I didn't believe it, but I tried it, and it worked.  For the past 3 years I have used this trick on at least 50 chicks per season, it has not failed me yet.  This year, I went to the Co-op and reached into the tub that had the sign "Pullets", started picking out the ones I wanted, and they all kicked like heck, I asked the man working why all these cocks were in the tub, he said there aren't any, just pullets...I showed him the trick, he thought I was crazy, I kept one of those little kickers, and went through the lot to find some danglers.  That was 4 months ago; when I went to feed today that one kicker chick was trying to crow...go figure. 

Do you know if this works with ducklings as well? Great tip too! Thanks!

 

[fasthorses]

OMG! I'm still laughing over the pendulum test.

 

[hdowden]

https://www.facebook.com/CentralLouisianaPoultryClub/notes

not all of it is done yet though

 

[Mell62]

Heading out for a few more chicks from a local co op. I read this and realized that is exactly what the chicken farm guy did when we got our first batch. Would go back to him (1 hour away), however that was his last "sell" batch as he needed to increase his flock for the Stock show in Jan. Good info thanks....Maybe I'l try the pendulum trick too,haha, just to see the faces of the folks selling poultry.

 

[hlncndnza]

Here's a straightforward, scientific explanation of feather sexing: http://animalsciences.missouri.edu/reprod/ReproTech/Feathersex/sld001.htm
My broody hatched 3 olive-egger chicks 8 weeks ago and I tried feather sexing them. From what I can tell so far, it was accurate. Ask me again in 3 months though
With hatchlings the difference in feathers b/w male and female is very noticeable within first 24 hours. After that, difficult to impossible.