Telling if chicks are hens or roosters

pigcoon

Crowing
15 Years
Joined
Apr 22, 2009
Messages
268
Reaction score
78
Points
296
Location
Vermont
We ordered our chicks and the farm we ordered them from says they don't know how to tell the gender yet, but they'll trade in/exchange any roosters (we just want hens).

Is there a common way to tell so I can avoid the trade in thing?

My kids (and I) might get attached to the chicks and then upset if we have to trade in.

If you get them as chicks and no one can tell that early, how soon CAN the "commoner" tell? My kids are upset because if we trade in the roosters, the farm will eat them. We are getting the hens just for eggs, not to eat (we're an ovo/lacto vegetarian family).

ANy help appreciated!
 
Unfortunately, for most breeds you can't normally tell gender until they are around 5 weeks old, many times older. Sometimes you get lucky and a little roo will develop early. What breeds are you ordering?
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom