Sexing chicks

[Redbud Chicks Farm]

Chicks can be sexed on day one once they are dry. Look at the wing, if the wing feathers are all the same length than it will be a rooster and if the wing feathers are staggered- large and smaller etc,etc, than it will be a hen. This can not be done with silkies. You must wait until they get larger. Unless you know how to vent sex them I suggest you don’t do it because you may end up killing the chick. Leave this to the pros. Hope this helps everyone. Congrats on all the new babies!

 

[MysteryChicken]

I wing feather bud sex my silkie chicks all the time.

 

[Chickensandchicks]

I wing feather bud sex my silkie chicks all the time.

How do you do this ? I have some hatching soon

 

[MysteryChicken]

How do you do this ? I have some hatching soon

I'll also have silkies hatching soon.
I'll show you how if you can wait, but I can tell you what I look for.
Usually with my silkies on females I see uneven fast feather growth, usually it's the primaries being longer then the coverts.

Males, sort even, or somewhat uneven feathering, sometimes coverts over lapping the primaries.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Mine will hatch on the 23rd.

 

[Chickensandchicks]

Mine will hatch on the 23rd.

I have 3 under broody hen due to hatch this Tues...and 4 more in an incubator due in 16 days

 

[MysteryChicken]

I have 3 under broody hen due to hatch this Tues...and 4 more in an incubator due in 16 days

Nice. I'm incubating 18 silkie eggs in my incubator.

 

[Chickensandchicks]

Nice. I'm incubating 18 silkie eggs in my incubator.

I have 6 amaracan and 12 Wyandotte and 2 barred rock with the silkies eggs in incubator....the hen has silkie and 6 Easter egger eggs

 

[MysteryChicken]

I have 6 amaracan and 12 Wyandotte and 2 barred rock with the silkies eggs in incubator....the hen has silkie and 6 Easter egger eggs

That's quite a lot of eggs.
I've also have 4 pee wee OEGB eggs in the incubator.

This is before the eggs were placed.

 

[keesmom]

Chicks can be sexed on day one once they are dry. Look at the wing, if the wing feathers are all the same length than it will be a rooster and if the wing feathers are staggered- large and smaller etc,etc, than it will be a hen. This can not be done with silkies. You must wait until they get larger. Unless you know how to vent sex them I suggest you don’t do it because you may end up killing the chick. Leave this to the pros. Hope this helps everyone. Congrats on all the new babies!

This is NOT true for all chicks. Most chicks CANNOT be feather sexed. If it were true hatcheries would have no need for vent sexers. There would be no oops cockerels, bantam or LF.

Feather sexable chicks are the result of a fast feathering male crossed with a slow feathering female.