Sir or Madame?

[HeatherEmme]

Hi guys!

I'm wondering if there is any way to be sure the chicks I picked up are in fact female. I'm brand new to raising chicks, but there's something about my black australorp that gives me this feeling that 'she' might really be a 'he'.

I recently came across a thread that feathers take longer to come in for males. I've noticed on my lorp, that even though the wing feathers have come in nicely, it's butt still looks like a day old chick butt. Meaning no sign of feathers at all. Just fluffy goodness back there. Where as my others have their wing feathers and sprouts of tail feathers. They should be 3 weeks old this weekend and according to the hatchery they are all similar in age.
I wonder how true that is about the feathers?

Also, the lorp is a bit larger than the others and it's neck seems a little longer....

Maybe there's nothing to this lol all of this is coming from someone who thought hens didn't have combs (or wattles) or whatever they're called on the chicken. Red things is what I call em'. <---see how much I know about chickens

 

[christiethorn1]

When I got my chicks, I was told that if you hang them upside down, a female will just hang there but a male will work to stay up. Not sure if this is true or not. Maybe someone else does????

 

[fiddlebanshee]

Quote:
This is cruel and utterly nonsensical.

When we had our lorps as chicks they also seemed rooish to us, by their posture, feather development etc. All three turned out to be girls.

Maybe it's just the breed. They are large chickens so if she is a bit larger than the others that are not lorps that would make sense. Even now they're the biggest girls that I have.

 

[christiethorn1]

holding them upside down is cruel?? I thought that is how you can also clear an impacted crop??

 

[lghrnlvr]

I hang mine upside down by their feet when i carry them. leghorns are very flighty and don't like to be held so grabbing their feet is the easiest way.

 

[christiethorn1]

I was pretty sure that many chicken owners carry them by their legs.....thank you for clearing that up.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

Holding a chicken upside down can cause them to vomit. If this is not very very controlled and done very carefully it can cause liquid to get into their lungs which can be deadly. It is a last resort only for dealing with an impacted crop and not recommended unless you have exhausted all other options.

 

[aggiemae]

And this method BTW will not determine gender...and in some breeds the only way to know for sure is when you hear a crow and get and egg.

 

[christiethorn1]

When I got my chicks, I was told that if you hang them upside down, a female will just hang there but a male will work to stay up. Not sure if this is true or not. Maybe someone else does????

I am sorry that this comment offended some chicken owners, but if you read what I wrote, it says "I was told" this info, not that I have actually tried it. I was looking into it myself, thank you for your helpful assistance.

 

[sourland]

I hang mine upside down by their feet when i carry them. leghorns are very flighty and don't like to be held so grabbing their feet is the easiest way.

As a kid, I would help my elderly neighbor catch the leghorn pullets from that season and move them into the laying houses. I carried literally thousands of chickens (leghorns) by their legs and NEVER injured one or had one vomit and die. Maybe chickens were tougher back then? Doubt it.