Rooster/Hen ~ When can I tell?

[BokBokBokking]

Hello Chicken Friends. I'm jumping on to the wagon with our first chickens ever. We have 3 baby chicks given to us by a friend. Two of those were actually the eggs and we watched them hatch. So exciting. They obviously haven't been sexed, so how soon will I be able to tell if they are Hens or Roosters? I did read the post about "Sexing buff laced polish" but I didn't quit understand. Can someone please help me and speak very slowly?

 

[Dawn419]

Hi & Welcome to BYC!

How old are your chicks?

We guessed one Araucauna would eventually be a future roo when he began trying to crow at 6 weeks, our Silver Spangled Hamburg around the same age because of his comb.

I think it depends alot on breed and age.

Dawn

 

[silkiechicken]

It does depend on breed and age. A leghorn I can sex by looking at the comb on their heads and watching for it to turn pink then red. I can reliably determine those at 2-3 weeks. Now my silkies are a whole nother boat. I can't figure out some of thoes till 3 months old! Some even later. You want to watch for secondary sex characteristics like larger combs and wattles, pointed sickle and hackle feathers, and a wider ganglier leg size to body ratio compared to the others.

 

[BokBokBokking]

Thanks. These kiddos are only 3 days old! I don't think we know what breed they are? Can you have a "mut" chicken? I guess in 3 weeks I'll start the detective work that you all mentioned (watching thier combs, waddles, feathers) and maybe post pictures so you can give it a go too. You know, silkiechicken mentioned a ganglier leg size to body ratio... I swore one was a dinosaur popping that leg out of his egg. His legs are so much bigger and thicker. Too soon to tell? I guess we'll see.

 

[chad]

Quote:
We prefer to call them "hybrids."

But, sure, yeah. This batch of chicks we're raising are a cross between a Cochin rooster and a Golden Comet hen; we've decided to call them "Thornecrofts" after the name of our farm...