Sexing Chicks theory

[lyndatu]

My chicks are growing up and I'm so thrilled! Their wings are now covered in feathers, they're starting to grow tail feathers, their chirps are changing and they sleep on the roost now! They're almost 2 weeks old! I want to know their gender.....but I have a theory: High-chested chicks are roos and low-chested chicks are hens. A chick of mine is low-chested and it's behaviors are hen-like. I think she's broody! It seems that she's in charge of the chicks(in a good way). What do you think?

 

[skeeter9]

Well, I would think that you would have some success with sexing them that way, but my guess is that there will be quite a few exceptions. It's certainly worth trying, though. Imagine if you could sex them with a relatively high amount of certainty at an early age!!!! I have week old chicks right now, I'll try it, too!!!

Lori

 

[seminolewind]

lI think I'll go look at my chicken chests.......

 

[rooster-red]

I'm thinking you'll have a 50% sucess rate.

 

[FarmerDenise]

 

[Katy]

I don't think she's quite old enough to be broody

, but there have have been quite a few times I could tell a little rooster pretty early on by his little rooster strut.

 

[lyndatu]

When my chicks are standing still I notice something: some of them have high chests near their heads and they chirp without their beak opening. The others however, have their chest low when standing still and chirp with their mouth opening. Just wanted to share the info....oh and I think my chicks are cornish X because they are all eating and pooping machines. They're all yellow except one who is brown, and doesn't seem to be an eating and pooping machine like the others.

 

[jdypat]

i just awakened from a dream.. nightmare.. i dreamed that some kids took my baby chicks and played with them and pinched off their beaks.. i was so upset it woke me up.. in my dream i was trying so hard to feed them. the beaks were pinched off at the bone..totaly gone. no way to eat or to drink.. i was so upset i was shaking i knew i had to "put em down" and i was so sad and upset.

so glad my byc group is there to hear me cry this cold winter night. jdy

 

[seminolewind]

Funny, my high chested chicks are female.

 

[brooster]

i had a little chick about 3 weeks old sit on the fake eggs in the nest box. We called her broody, she probaby wasnt, but o well.