Tips & Tricks for sexing baby chicks (just for fun!)

[Eri_Oak]

What are some fun ways to start guessing at your baby chicks’ gender? I want to hear them all, silly or scientific or otherwise!

We have five week-old chicks. They are all mixed-breeds, bred for their egg colors. We know three are girls, but don’t know who is who.

JUST FOR FUN we want to start guessing and looking for signs as to who the girls are, and whether our extra two are little ladies or gents.

Even though we know we can know for sure for some time, it seems like a fun game to play

So gimme all your fun tricks and tips!

 

[Thunder344]

I have no idea how to tell them from a rooster or hen. I would love to know though!

 

[Chicalina]

Toss a coin. 50% chance of getting it right

 

[MysteryChicken]

I always wing feather bud sex my chicks, even silkies. Here's my 8 week old silkie pullets.

This method works 98% of the time with my birds. I rarely get it incorrect.

I also sexed my Meat birds by wing feather buds, which are EE/Brahma crosses. I sexed them as 4 males, & 6 females, which was correct. 2 boys died of botulism unfortunately though.

 

[Eri_Oak]

I always wing feather bud sex my chicks, even silkies. Here's my 8 week old silkie pullets.
This method works 98% of the time with my birds. I rarely get it incorrect.

I also sexed my Meat birds by wing feather buds, which are EE/Brahma crosses. I sexed them as 4 males, & 6 females, which was correct. 2 boys died of botulism unfortunately though.

Tell me more! What do you look for in males vs. females?

 

[Gray Farms]

Significant comb and wattle growth at 6 weeks or younger = cockerel.

 

[CaliFarmsAR]

 

[MysteryChicken]

Tell me more! What do you look for in males vs. females?

I look for different feather growth patterns. Some males will be faster feathering then females, & some females will be faster feathering then males.

In the case fast feathering males[Silkies for Example] The wing feather buds both coverts, & primaries will be long about the same length of one another.

Fast feathering female silkies will have uneven feather bud growth, with the coverts being shorter then the primaries. Following a pattern of long, short, long, short.

In the case of the two silkies I posted, the blue partridge was a slow to feather female, her feather buds were really short, & only the tips of her primaries were visible. Coverts weren't visible.

The regular partridge was fast to feather out.

 

[Thunder344]

I look for different feather growth patterns. Some males will be faster feathering then females, & some females will be faster feathering then males.

In the case fast feathering males[Silkies for Example] The wing feather buds both coverts, & primaries will be long about the same length of one another.

Fast feathering female silkies will have uneven feather bud growth, with the coverts being shorter then the primaries. Following a pattern of long, short, long, short.

In the case of the two silkies I posted, the blue partridge was a slow to feather female, her feather buds were really short, & only the tips of her primaries were visible. Coverts weren't visible.

The regular partridge was fast to feather out.View attachment 2330318

I have 5 chicks that are each a different age from each other. The 2 oldest have more feathers in than the rest of the chicks. is there any other way to sex them?

 

[MysteryChicken]

I have 5 chicks that are each a different age from each other. The 2 oldest have more feathers in than the rest of the chicks. is there any other way to sex them?

What breeds are they, so that'll give a clue?