Sold 3 wk old sexed chicks based on wings?

[ecogirl2206]

Total noob. Saw an ad for 3 week old sexed chicks so I thought perfect...as a beginner I don't have to worry about fragile day olds or mail order. I go to pick them up a young boy is pulling them out looking at their wings. I ask what he's doing and hes telling the boys from the girls based on wing feather length...at three weeks old. It sounded kinda legit and I was out there so I took 8 home. 4 Easter eggers, 1 buff orpington, 1 australorp, 1 rir and 1 light Brahma. Of note every single chick he looked at happened to be female. Now that they're home I'm really worried I got basically straight run and will end up with roos which I can't legally have, nor do they have a place in my forever flock for eggs only...i don't believe in animal slaughter so the thought of having roos to dispose of is really upsetting me. Anyone know...can those breeds be sexed by wing feather length at 3 weeks old?

Also should I wake them up to handle them or do they sleep all night long?

 

[21hens-incharge]

I don't think so on any of those breeds.

That said.......males DO tend to feather slower.......so maybe.
never heard of it though.

Can you post pics of the birds?
It is really early to tell for sure but there are a lot of very experienced folks that MAY be able to.

As to waking them.........I wouldn't unless I was checking for mites.

At 3 weeks they still need heat. What is your set up like?

 

[junebuggena]

No. They cannot be sexed by wing feathers at all, at any age. Feather sexing only works in very specific circumstances, when a very specific set of genes are at play. Post some pics. I'm pretty good at sexing Easter Eggers.

 

[Spartan22]

The boy who sold chicken to you must be into something, I want to learn from him. Sexing chicks at that age by wing feathers might be difficult since male and female wings are already catching up with one another’s growth. I say the first day or two are very crucial wing sexing, pullets (girls) will have almost two layers of row of feathers, uneven, cockerels (boys) will have a single layers of feathers and more even looking and yet only applies to specific birds.

 

[ecogirl2206]

Urgh, that's what I thought. Thanks for confirming. My photos are too large to upload I'll need to resize at work. I think I should stop pestering them and let them get settled in for now. I'm almost sure one is a boy he's so big, bossy, wide stance and fat legs...urgh...

They were at 80degrees in an open air barn, so not sure it was really 80, their room inside is 75and I put a reptile heat mat under...I'm picking up red heat light and starter crumbles tmrw morning. I only had egg layer crumbles. They're drinking. I offered toddler breakfast mush and oatmeal. They're sleeping now. They're on a bed of equine pine pellets. I was kinda prepared for adult birds but couldn't resist chicks!!!

 

[junebuggena]

Urgh, that's what I thought. Thanks for confirming. My photos are too large to upload I'll need to resize at work. I think I should stop pestering them and let them get settled in for now. I'm almost sure one is a boy he's so big, bossy, wide stance and fat legs...urgh...

They were at 80degrees in an open air barn, so not sure it was really 80, their room inside is 75and I put a reptile heat mat under...I'm picking up red heat light and starter crumbles tmrw morning. I only had egg layer crumbles. They're drinking. I offered toddler breakfast mush and oatmeal. They're sleeping now. They're on a bed of equine pine pellets. I was kinda prepared for adult birds but couldn't resist chicks!!!

At three weeks old, they should be pretty well feathered, and not need any extra heat inside your house.

 

[ecogirl2206]

Ok...I wasn't sure..they don't seem cold they're not chirping, but they do huddle together for sleep time...

 

[junebuggena]

Ok...I wasn't sure..they don't seem cold they're not chirping, but they do huddle together for sleep time...

Completely normal for them to sleep all piled up. It's more of a comfort thing rather than actually needing to be warm.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I would agree. Since your house is what so warm they shouldn't need heat.

We keep our house quite a bit cooler.

 

[junebuggena]

I would agree. Since your house is what so warm they shouldn't need heat.

We keep our house quite a bit cooler.

Even if the room was only 50*, they wouldn't need extra heat. The room I brood chicks in is a constant 45 to 50, thanks the concrete floor. Mine are always off heat completely by 3 weeks old, and outside in the grow out coop by 4 weeks. They are much tougher than most seem to think.