sexing chicks

[Chicken Goujon]

Hi,I have 3 chicks now 5 weeks old. Two chicks hatched from olive green and one from a brown egg.I have been told that the father is a pure cream legbar and mum either a Marans, RIR,Easteregger,cream Legbar it was a mix of eggs and if they are all hens they would lay all green/ blue/olive eggs. Could you tell me the breed of my three chicks please!I know it's early but have you any idea on the sex of my babies?I hope they a hens,because looking forward to have colourful eggs.Thank you.x

 

[DobieLover]

It's a little early to tell for sure but number 2 looks like it might be a cockerel. The other 2 look like pullets. The mixes will be easier to make out when they get more feathering.

 

[rebrascora]

At 5 weeks I would say the chicks in the first and second photos are both cockerels and the darker one is a pullet. There is too much pinkness in the combs of the first two at such a young age to be female and their legs are very thick.

As regards breed, they are mixed breeds/farmyard mixes.... mutts if you like!

 

[chuckachucka]

Photos one and two are males. Photo three is a female.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Agree, The 1st two are cockerels, the 3rd is a pullet.

 

[Chicken Goujon]

So it seems quiet clear that I have only one pullet and two cocks.Thats not what I wanted to hear,but Thank you all.

 

[rebrascora]

Unfortunately that is the reality of hatching! You could have been unlucky and got 3 males!
Please make sure that the males are separated from the pullet before they hit adolescence at about 15 weeks as they will almost certainly make her life a misery once those hormones kick in and potentially injure her if they are penned together, particularly if there are no adult chickens to keep them in line...... 15-16 weeks is as good a time as any to butcher if you are so inclined.... there will not be much meat on them but they get tougher from there on in and take a long time to get significantly bigger and will always look scrawny compared to a Cornish Cross meat bird but the flavour should be good.

 

[Chicken Goujon]

Thank's for your advice. I try to find a new owner for the cockerels,before that age. If I introduce the only pullet I have with my resisting flock would'nt she be bullied,or would mother hen always protect her?

 

[rebrascora]

If these chicks are broody reared, is the broody part of your main flock and perhaps just separated by wire whilst she raises chicks? If so, providing that the broody is still caring for them, I would integrate them all into the flock now. I leave my broodies and chicks within the flock and just give them a couple of days after the chicks have hatched to gain some strength and coordination before being let loose in the flock. The mother hen is more likely to protect them when they are small than when they get larger as yours are now. Integrating all of them now means that if there is any pecking it will at least be a burden shared by 3 rather than just one getting the brunt of it. I make a cage and chock it up off the ground on bricks and put food and water in there for the chicks. They can hang out in there in safety and eat and drink without being harassed by the older birds but still come out and integrate with the flock when they feel comfortable to do so.

 

[Chicken Goujon]

If these chicks are broody reared, is the broody part of your main flock and perhaps just separated by wire whilst she raises chicks? If so, providing that the broody is still caring for them, I would integrate them all into the flock now. I leave my broodies and chicks within the flock and just give them a couple of days after the chicks have hatched to gain some strength and coordination before being let loose in the flock. The mother hen is more likely to protect them when they are small than when they get larger as yours are now. Integrating all of them now means that if there is any pecking it will at least be a burden shared by 3 rather than just one getting the brunt of it. I make a cage and chock it up off the ground on bricks and put food and water in there for the chicks. They can hang out in there in safety and eat and drink without being harassed by the older birds but still come out and integrate with the flock when they feel comfortable to do so.

Good idea,with the cage for their food and also good hiding place for the chicks. Thank you.x