Sexing chicks

[hmbrown05]

I have 9 chicks with their broodies in the flock. 6 are roughly 6 weeks old and the other 3 are 5 weeks. All but one are cochin x leghorn and I am trying to evaluate sexes of the chicks. I have 4 chicks that have much more pronounced combs and wattles (and much more red) than the others and I have witnessed 3 of these particular chicks chest bumping each other. I would post pics, but they are too fast! Lol!

Would this behavior and the comb/wattles be enough to guestimate that these kids are cockerels? I know that when my flock leghorns were chicks they developed wattles and combs pretty big and red early on too so I am curious to know if this is a reliable method for this cross.

Also, am I correct in assuming the mommas will soon be kicking the kids off?

 

[mtngirl35]

I have barred rocks, australorps, and black sexlinks. All of my chickies that hatched in june were mutts but that's how some of them acted and they turned out to be cockerels. They also grew bigger, redder combs.

 

[mtngirl35]

My hen started running the chicks off at 5-6 weeks old.