Sexing Chicks

[baabaamilker]

Somebody told us at our local Atwoods that you can tell the Roosters from the Hens when they are chicks by a gap between the primary and secondary flight feathers on the wings. I haven't tested this myself, so I was wondering if that is actually accurate. This is only our second year hatching out chicks.

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

This only works when you cross breed that is slow feathering female with a breed that is fast feathering male. Then when the chicks are a day old ( any older then this won't work ) you spread their little wings out while holding them. The males primary and secondary feathers are the same length, the females primary feathers are longer than her secondary feathers. So no this won't work for any average chick, just hybrids especially crested for day-old feather sexing.

 

[3riverschick]

Somebody told us at our local Atwoods that you can tell the Roosters from the Hens when they are chicks by a gap between the primary and secondary flight feathers on the wings. I haven't tested this myself, so I was wondering if that is actually accurate. This is only our second year hatching out chicks.

You can tell by the shape of the hackle feathers. In a male they are pointed at the end. In a female, they are rounded at the end.
Course you have to wait till they are feathering out, not in chick down.
Best,
Karen

 

[mom of silkies]

One trick I learned was when they are 3 or 4 days old you can look at their wings, the hens wings will have longer feathers and their wings will be more filled out, where as the roosters will have shorter feathers and their wings won't be as filled out.

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

Like I said above the only way you can feather sex young chicks is look at the wings of speciality crosses.