Is there an easy way to tell the sex of your chicks?

[TheKochs]

I have :
* 2 Black Sex Links
* 1 Ameraucana
* 3 Black Jersey Giants
* 1 Brown Leghorn


I am just wondering if there are any coloring to the feathers that mean that they are either male of female? My chicks are only between 1 to 3 weeks of age. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

 

[Basskids08]

The two black sex link, hence the name sex link, males will have a white dot on head, females will not, the others you will have to post pictures so we could see!

I'm sure someone with more experience, especially with the barring breeds will be able to help you more with the BSL.

 

[TheKochs]

I'll try to get individual photos of them tomorrow. I all ready have them down for the night.

 

[donrae]

The black sex links are easy. the sex is linked to the color, hence the name. The females are not barred, and they have a solid dark head. Males are barred, and they have a white spot on the top of the head at hatch.

The others, you'll just have to wait it out. Your brown Leghorn you'll be able to tell as it feathers in. Black feathers on the breast mean male, a reddish/salmon color is female.

Easter eggers can be sexed by color around 6 weeks. There are some long threads about sexing them by color, search around and invest some time looking at the pictures to get an eye what you're looking for.

The Giants are going to take the longest to be sure they're female. Giants mature slowly, and sometimes it's longer before a cockerel makes himself known.

 

[TheKochs]

Below are close ups of my chicks.. If I'm correct (please correct me if I'm wrong) it goes
1st: Road Island Red
2nd: Rainbow Layer
3rd: Ameraucana
4th: Black Jersey Giant
5th: Black Sex Link
6th: Brown Leghorn
7th: Black Sex Link
8th: Black Jersey Giant
9th: Black Jersey Giant....

If you can, could you please tell me if they are male or female... I understand that it may be a little early to tell for some or all of them.. but if anyone can tell it'd be all you on this awesome site.. Thanks for the help!

 

[Basskids08]

Below are close ups of my chicks.. If I'm correct (please correct me if I'm wrong) it goes 1st: Road Island Red 2nd: Rainbow Layer 3rd: Ameraucana 4th: Black Jersey Giant 5th: Black Sex Link 6th: Brown Leghorn 7th: Black Sex Link 8th: Black Jersey Giant 9th: Black Jersey Giant.... If you can, could you please tell me if they are male or female... I understand that it may be a little early to tell for some or all of them.. but if anyone can tell it'd be all you on this awesome site.. Thanks for the help!

1- RIR hatchery 2- could be a BO 3- EE 4- Barred rock 5- australorp 6- can't see 7- australorp 8- barred rock 9- barred rock

 

[donrae]

first two, too young to tell for sure
third, Easter egger
fourth is a barred Rock
fifth...no idea. Doesn't look like a straight comb, more like a rose comb?
Sixth and seventh no idea
Eighth is a barred something, maybe a Rock? But looks off, as does the ninth bird.

where did these birds come from? The breeds you listed in the first post aren't at all accurate so you'll likely just have to wait for them to feather out to know for sure. I'm getting a feeling some, especially the last barred birds and the black bird with the rose comb, maybe mixes.

 

[TheKochs]

We got them from Orschlen's. What I put originally is what they said they were.

 

[donrae]

I believe they get their chicks from a hatchery, so they *should* be recognizable as some pure bred birds. Appears they were horribly mislabeled, though. Bummer on that, but the birds you have will make a nice backyard flock as far as I can tell. Post pics again around 6-8 weeks old and we'll be able to tell more.