Topic of the Week - Sexing Chicks

[PippinTheChicken]

This is my silkie sexing article

Pippin's easy guide to silkie sexing

Hello there! When I hatched my own silkies, I studied and studied about how to sex them. I read that it was almost impossible to sex them, and that you had to wait for a crow or an egg. Raising and watching them helped me pick out certain traits that only belong to roosters or hens. These...

• PippinTheChicken
• Sep 2, 2021
• 4.50 star(s) 14 ratings
• Comments: 31
• Reviews: 10
• Category: Learning Center

 

[The Yakima Kid]

What about Dominiques can they be sexed by color like barred rocks? Are welsummers autosexing?

Yes, but different strains of birds are darker or lighter overall, which means you have to carefully look at the strain you are trying to sex. The males in some strains look like the females in others, and vice versa. Legs, feet, and heads are the place to start looking. As they color out, then the pattern is different by sex, and you also have strain variations.

 

[The Yakima Kid]

Loyl Stromberg wrote a book on sexing baby birds across a range of species. I heartily recommend getting a copy.

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

That frizzle has quite a male posture too.

So i have i 8 week old silver wyandotte. And it is always standing up tall and being the boss of everyone. I can try to get updated pics though. This is it a 6 weeks old.

 

[ElimAcres]

Banty chooks said:
"Your best indicator is personality combined with physical signs."
(for some reason, my quote function isn't working at the moment) Very good information in that post from Banty chooks IMO.

I agree - with everything Banty chooks said, you will get to know your breed and your flock and be able to tell better and better with time.

That said... I'm completely spoiled and have autosexing breeds for the most part and will going forward. Here are some photos that show a bit of the 'attitude' in chicks that are just a day or two old:

Looks a little more shy/coy -- if she had eyelashes she would bat them = girl. She's saying "Am I cute or what?"*

Looks a little more 'in your face' -- and proud....more noticable comb even at this baby age...= boy. This chick grew up to be a rooster. He's saying "Are you looking at me?"
Of course hindsight is always 20/20. The "tell" on these is that she has crisp separation in her chick-down stripes -- notice above her eyes the color demarkation, his are more blended and diffuse -- notice less clear, crisp stripe.

Question regarding Dominique and BPR - I think the poster was referring to the sexable headspots that some of the lines have and not the fast or slow feathering..... Only certain breeds can be feather-sexed from what I understand...not just all chickens generally.

My variety gets a headspot for males at hatch time -- and that comes from the barring in their genetic background.

ETA - *Sometimes the little boy chicks are also awfully cute/sweet.

Good topic Suni! Thanks.

What breed are the chicks in the pictures???? They are gorgeous!!!

 

[nhgrl8]

Can anyone tell me if my Isa Brown is a pullet or cockerel ?

 

[nhgrl8]

Isa Brown pullet or cockerel ?

 

[RebekahMarie]

Isa Brown pullet or cockerel ?

I don’t know the answer but it might be helpful to know how old the chick is?

 

[Shawkie]

View attachment 2986549
​

Boy or girl? Determining gender in chicks can be a tricky business with most breeds, especially Silkies. Though on the flip side, sex-linked breeds can be identified at a glance. But, for the more difficult breeds, what are some of the accurate ways/techniques of telling for sure if you have a male or female chick in hand?

What are the signs, or physical characteristics to look for?

View attachment 1242520

Pic by @vasher
​

For a complete list of our Topic of the Week threads, see here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/topic-of-the-week-thread-archive

Ok I have 5 Chick have two Speckled Susex, 2 Cinoman Queens and I believe a Dorking from exploring the internet. I know the 2 Cinoman Queens are that breed, because we bought the specific bread. The others come from a surprise figure out what you have lot....lol....they are all supposed to be pullets....but I am starting to suspect on of the Cinoman Queens might not be....how can I tell? It appears to be getting marks where waddles would come in later. Does this bread of pullet get waddles? Pictures of the little red development under the chin. The other one does not have the marks like this one...they are about a month give or take old...I know it is hard to tell at this age, from what I understand.... newbie here first chickens...thanks...if any one is good at identifying breeds I can send the pictures of the other ones....I am not 100 percent on the Dorking....

View attachment 2986549
​

Boy or girl? Determining gender in chicks can be a tricky business with most breeds, especially Silkies. Though on the flip side, sex-linked breeds can be identified at a glance. But, for the more difficult breeds, what are some of the accurate ways/techniques of telling for sure if you have a male or female chick in hand?

What are the signs, or physical characteristics to look for?

View attachment 1242520

Pic by @vasher
​

For a complete list of our Topic of the Week threads, see here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/topic-of-the-week-thread-archive

View attachment 2986549
​

Boy or girl? Determining gender in chicks can be a tricky business with most breeds, especially Silkies. Though on the flip side, sex-linked breeds can be identified at a glance. But, for the more difficult breeds, what are some of the accurate ways/techniques of telling for sure if you have a male or female chick in hand?

What are the signs, or physical characteristics to look for?

View attachment 1242520

Pic by @vasher
​

For a complete list of our Topic of the Week threads, see here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/topic-of-the-week-thread-archive

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Isa Brown pullet or cockerel ?

Isa brown pullets are brown cockerels are white or barred