Sexing chicks at 5-7days old?

[chickmumjo]

Hi, my little boys nursery has hatched some chicks and we said we'd like to take 3 girls.. however the new company they used hasn't supplied them with chicks that can be colour sexed.. there was a definite mix of eggs- possibly some were pekin bantams n not sure of the others. I've took photos of the wings and did a little research and was hoping that I could maybe sex them based on primary and coverts but not sure if it will work at aged 5-7days or if it works for pekins and mystery breeds? I'm meant to be taking them in 2 days time and I don't have the heart to cull males and already have one roo so not wanting more.. so really hoping I can sex them.
Any advice would be muchly appreciated xx

 

[Cyprus]

Wing feather sexing can only be done on birds bred specifically for that trait. Do you have pictures of the whole bird? At the very least, we may be able to detect early blooming males.

 

[Keeperofmunchkins]

At such a young age the only way to sex them is probably to look at their size and behaviour. Males tend to be larger with thicker legs and a more upright stance. They also tend to be bolder, braver and more aggressive with each other. These are generalisations and there will always be exceptions, but the more reliable sex indicators of wattles and comb don't start to come in until about 3 weeks minimum.

 

[chickmumjo]

I'm afraid I didn't get pictures of the birds while they were walking around I will try to find out from the company what other possible breeds they are. I think the 2 black ones are one breed and possibly the other 3 are another. There was small white eggs and some larger brown eggs so probably (hopefully) just 2 breeds.. here's the pics I did take..

 

[aart]

You'll have to wait ~6 weeks when males will be revealed by redder combs and wattles.

 

[Cyprus]

The browns look like Mille Fleur D'Uccles. All I can tell you with certainty is the first black one is a male. The second black one is female.

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

Too young. Post pics of the combs at 6 weeks.

Wing sexing only works for specifically bred hybrids.

 

[Cyprus]

Too young. Post pics of the combs at 6 weeks.

Wing sexing only works for specifically bred hybrids.

I'm going by head spots on the black ones

 

[chickmumjo]

Thanks for your replies. The company got back to me and said the black ones look like cuckoo marans- but the guy said that the one you've said looks male looks female.. it was a different pic I showed him tho- one I took yesterday- do you think they're cuckoo marans too?
I would post pics at 6 weeks but I'm not necessarily going to get them yet as I don't want 5 boys.. x

 

[Cyprus]

Thanks for your replies. The company got back to me and said the black ones look like cuckoo marans- but the guy said that the one you've said looks male looks female.. it was a different pic I showed him tho- one I took yesterday- do you think they're cuckoo marans too?
I would post pics at 6 weeks but I'm not necessarily going to get them yet as I don't want 5 boys.. x

If large fowl, the browns are probably actually Buff Brahmas.

The guy is probably wrong. Those do like cuckoo marans. Barred and cuckoo birds can be sexed at hatch by the size and shape of their head dot. A large, faded, blotchy dot means two copies of the sex linked genes. Those are male. Females can only get one copy and so their dot is small and clean, like the second one.

The black one with the small head dot is the only obvious female.