The ever dreaded question.. hen or roo?

[TheBirdBabe]

Hello y'all!

The last full week of September (about 7 weeks ago) I purchased a few chicks. Well, I say a few, my husband says a "significant" amount. I got 3 blue stars, 3 Buff orpingtons & 7 lavender orpingtons!

Said chicks are obviously getting bigger & growing at a ridiculous rate! I wish they could stay little for longer. However, every day I find myself looking closer at them & trying to figure out who the boys are! I'm looking for saddle feathers & combs/wattles.

There are a few of these chicks that are acting as a roo would (fighting, pecking me, etc ) but do not look like some of the others that I personally think are roos. Where others have a massive comb compared to others! I am HORRIBLE at detecting which is which. I always tell myself to wait & see further down the line, but you know...

Do you have any special ways to seek out which is which? How accurate has your method been? I can post some pictures if y'all would like.

Thanks, y'all!

 

[Isadora]

Definitely post some pictures!

 

[MysteryChicken]

Pictures please?

 

[3KillerBs]

For little ones, it's the combs.

For over 12-16 weeks depending on breed it's the saddle feathers.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Some are a lot easier than others. Single combed chicks are usually easier than the others. Feathered legs give me problems. Many chicks can be sexed at five weeks, some even earlier, but there are some that just aren't clear at two to three months. Experience can help. It is usually easier to say "that is a boy" than to be sure about it being a girl but some girls are obvious even at a young age.

If you post photos I suggest you provide a close-up of the head showing the comb and wattles, if any. What we are looking for here is size and especially color. Bright red usually means boy, pale orange, pink, or yellow can be a girl but some chicks are late developers.

A profile photo showing legs, posture, and body shape can be really useful. Heavy legs typically means a boy, but that is somewhat breed dependent. An upright posture is a sign of a boy. And some just have certain body shapes.

After a certain age curved tail feathers (Sickle feathers) are a sign that it could be a boy but some girls can have a curve to theirs. The sharp pointy saddle and hackle feathers can be a clean sign it is a boy but those can develop quite late. On a slow to mature male they can be really late.

There is some science involved but a lot of art too. Experience can really help. I've had a very few that I could confidently say that's a boy right after hatch but that is rare. Even rarer is being able to say that one is definitely a girl but I have had a few. I had one that I thought was a girl until it as four months old.

If you post photos in this thread I'll try to explain what I see that makes me feel one way or the other but don't be surprised if different people have a different opinion. That happens a lot.

 

[TheBirdBabe]

Some are a lot easier than others. Single combed chicks are usually easier than the others. Feathered legs give me problems. Many chicks can be sexed at five weeks, some even earlier, but there are some that just aren't clear at two to three months. Experience can help. It is usually easier to say "that is a boy" than to be sure about it being a girl but some girls are obvious even at a young age.

If you post photos I suggest you provide a close-up of the head showing the comb and wattles, if any. What we are looking for here is size and especially color. Bright red usually means boy, pale orange, pink, or yellow can be a girl but some chicks are late developers.

A profile photo showing legs, posture, and body shape can be really useful. Heavy legs typically means a boy, but that is somewhat breed dependent. An upright posture is a sign of a boy. And some just have certain body shapes.

After a certain age curved tail feathers (Sickle feathers) are a sign that it could be a boy but some girls can have a curve to theirs. The sharp pointy saddle and hackle feathers can be a clean sign it is a boy but those can develop quite late. On a slow to mature male they can be really late.

There is some science involved but a lot of art too. Experience can really help. I've had a very few that I could confidently say that's a boy right after hatch but that is rare. Even rarer is being able to say that one is definitely a girl but I have had a few. I had one that I thought was a girl until it as four months old.

If you post photos in this thread I'll try to explain what I see that makes me feel one way or the other but don't be surprised if different people have a different opinion. That happens a lot.

This is a great start! I know that some breeds are easier than others. I have only had bantams up until this point, so the "regular" sized chickens are stumping me. I have some pictures on the way!

 

[TheBirdBabe]

Here are a few pictures from the bunch.

The orange guy in pictures 1 & 2 is the one I'm 99% sure is a rooster! He's big, his comb/wattles are big & he's rowdy! I compare him to the orange one in picture #3

 

[Ridgerunner]

Photo 1 & 2 - Heavy legs, well developed wattles for an Orpington, reddish colored comb and wattles. A boy

Photo 3 - No wattles, yellow comb. Probably a girl

Others - I think I see two boys, maybe three. That's mainly because of the reddish combs and wattles. I don't have a good feel for these though.

 

[TheBirdBabe]

Photo 1 & 2 - Heavy legs, well developed wattles for an Orpington, reddish colored comb and wattles. A boy

Photo 3 - No wattles, yellow comb. Probably a girl

Others - I think I see two boys, maybe three. That's mainly because of the reddish combs and wattles. I don't have a good feel for these though.

Same! I think they're a bit too young for me to really tell though. I'm hoping that there's only the one.
Wouldn't that be some luck?!

 

[gimmie birdies]

LO having a tall pink comb, prolly a boy.