Question for the RIR experts out there. ;)

amarook · Mar 21, 2009

My RIR chicks are 3 weeks old today.
I noticed last night that a couple of them look like their beaks have suddenly gotten darker than the others.

Are they just developing faster, or could this indicate that they are roos. They also seem to be bigger than the others.

Thanks!

tiki244 · Mar 21, 2009

I am no RIR expert, but I do not think you can tell what sex they are at that age. I think you will have to wait till they are 8 weeks at least. Then you should be able to tell the sex by the feathers that are growing in at the bottom of the neck area. The boys will be pointy, the girls blunt.

speckledhen · Mar 21, 2009

The first thing to look for in determining sex on these, before the comb turns red, is leg thickness. Cockerels always have thicker legs than the others. I usually know by about 4 weeks on the RIRs, at least to some degree of certainty.