Sexing 3 week old chicks? * PICTURE HEAVY*

[gg706]

I have a mix of Araucanas, Lavender Orpingtons, and Blue Laced Red Wyandottes. They are 3 weeks old. At 3 weeks old I see some changes taking place...however this is my first time raising chicks so I am not sure what to look for. I would like to find out as soon as possible who are pullets and who are roos. I have a few gut feelings about a few being roos

I wasn't planning on keeping any roos, they were going to be raised up to be butchered. Also would be my first time butchering anything. Now I find myself getting attached to them. If I posted pics of them would experienced BYC members be able to sex them with some accuracy, or are they still too young?

 

[crazychickenwom]

Can't hurt to post, never know if the opinions will be right, but it couldn't hurt! Good Luck!

 

[PeakyBeaky]

Post some photos, can't hurt to see what we think.

 

[gg706]

I will post some....I'll go take some pics! Thanks!

 

[StarLover21]

Yup, pictures will do the trick. If you don't want to butcher them, you can always sell them!

 

[gg706]

Here some pics of a few of them... I will post 2 pics of each chick



Chick 1- ARAUCANA








Chick 2- ARAUCANA





Chick 3- ARAUCANA small but spars with others sometimes





Chick 4-ARAUCANA........ Is bigger than the other Araucanas spars with others sometimes





Chick 5- ARAUCANA









Chick 6- LAVENDER ORPINGTON 1 of 2 that look the same both are large- spars with others









Chick 7 - LAVENDER ORPINGTON - smaller than the other 2






Chick 8 - LAVENDER ORPINGTON






Chick 9- BLUE LACED RED WYANDOTTE The largest chick by far...... bossy! Spars with others- runs and puts to rest any excitement






Chick 10- BLRW




Chick 11- BLRW






Chick 12- BLRW 1 pic




Chick 13- BLRW 1 pic






I have 3 more chicks pics wouldnt download....maybe I have too much. Please let me know what you think. If you don't mind please let me know why you think roo or pullet so I can learn what to look for, also please say how sure you are about your educated guess. THANK YOU!

 

[StarLover21]

Hmmm....
Chick 1- TYTT (too young to tell)
Chick 2- I would say pullet because of the classic pullet coloring
Chick 3- Again would say pullet because of coloring
Chick 4- Roo. Look at those legs and that stance!
Chick 5- Pullet
I would say LO #8 is a pullet. I'm not sure about the others. They do look a bit rooish, though.
Chick 9- Roo, and acutally a gold lace wyandotte, no blue laced red.
For the other wyandottes all look like pullets so far but really it could be either way.

 

[gg706]

@ StarLover21 THANK YOU SO MUCH! I REALLY appreciate you taking the time to check them out!

All the ones you said you thought were roo's were also the ones I was thinking were roos. So my gut feelings were pretty accurate! I am pretty sad the black one with the yellow spots on his head is a roo....it is my favorite....

. I wasn't planning on keeping any roos. I was going to butcher them, but now I am getting attached to them. Not sure what I am going to do....

 

[bobbieschicks]

My Lavender Orpingtons were easy to tell by 4 weeks old - Francis, the only rooster, had been bigger then the other 4 since birth. They all had similar combs until week 4, suddenly his shot out & turned pink and the pullet's combs stayed about the same size. Ignore the dots on the head and the weird blue color - I did both of those things - rookie mistakes.

Here my daughter is holding a 2 week old pullet.



Here is the two week old Francis, rooster.


Here they are at 3 weeks old - Francis is the one in the front on the left with the larger comb. By 4 weeks old the comb is much larger and redder then the pullets.


Here they are at 5 weeks old - Francis red comb on top, pullet on the bottom.

 

[StarLover21]

My Lavender Orpingtons were easy to tell by 4 weeks old - Francis, the only rooster, had been bigger then the other 4 since birth. They all had similar combs until week 4, suddenly his shot out & turned pink and the pullet's combs stayed about the same size. Ignore the dots on the head and the weird blue color - I did both of those things - rookie mistakes.

Here my daughter is holding a 2 week old pullet.



Here is the two week old Francis, rooster.


Here they are at 3 weeks old - Francis is the one in the front on the left with the larger comb. By 4 weeks old the comb is much larger and redder then the pullets.


Here they are at 5 weeks old - Francis red comb on top, pullet on the bottom.

Looking back I think that if I had to guess on the LO, I would say #6 is a roo and the other two are pullets. Sorry about your favorite being a roo Is there any way you can keep them? Are they legal where you live, or do you just not want one?