I was fooled by nature

[newchickgal]

We bought (6) day olds on Jan 13. Later a neighbor gave us two of his chicks that he was worried about (the mama had been killed). We only want to keep two for eggs , so we were waiting until we could tell when there were hens and roosters. We thought the signs were developing (wattles and tail feathers and bigger feet) so we gave all but two to a friend of ours. Now, one of the two looks more like a rooster! So we will exchange back with our friend. I couldn't help but think what Jeff Goldblum's character said in Jurassic Park, that nature finds a way!!!

 

[miraclz5]

All our chicks are straight run and so we are playing the waiting, guessing game too....but like the old adage "Don't count your chicks before they hatch" We are not counting anyway in or out until the bitter end! We have our suspicions, but a few we have gone back and forth on....Glad you can switch back with your friend!

 

[Mommysongbird]

We are waiting too.

So tell me about feet and tail feathers?? I can't seem to find those sort of answers in any of my barrowed chicken raising books from the library. Our little ones are only 11 days old, so we will be waiting for a while.

 

[theoldchick]

Hey, those professional chicken sexers hired by hatcheries make mistakes, too!

Here's a 4 week old 'pullet' from Cackle

 

[Steergirl]

Quote:
A least he's pretty! How does the shredded paper bedding work for you? They don't try to eat it and does it absorb fairly well?

 

[theoldchick]

Thank you for the compliment!

Yes, shredded paper has worked well for me. These chicks were raised on paper towels then newspaper, and when I first introduced shredded paper they were so excited. A few tried to eat a strand or two but the size was too large for them, and now they really like to bed down it, dust bathe in it, and so forth. Does okay absorption-wise and sweeps up really well. I think the shredded paper absorbs better than pine shavings. Not so good on odor control, but I clean their corral out every 3 days anyway, so odor was not a problem. And for some reason this size shredded paper does not have the tendency to migrate to the waterer. I would not recommend the small shredded paper as the dust is just too much for them and me!

Thanks for asking!

 

[drdoolittle]

I really lucked out with some NN chicks I got from Rural King. Out of the six, it appears that only 2 are roos! Now I only have to wait on my 4 Polish, 3 silkie and EEs to see what they are. All the rest should be pullets (as that's what I ordered).

 

[newchickgal]

Quote:
With my chickens the feet are bigger and the legs are thicker on the rooster, also, the tail has some long feathers that curve. These chicks were hatched Jan. 12.