What age can you start to confirm sex?

[wonderpup]

Sorry if this is a dumb question lol. I probably have a lot of those

Anyway we have chicks that are I think about 6/7 weeks old now. I have it written down on my calender exactly when we got them but I don't have that handy just now so I'm thinking it's been about 6 weeks. We bought all pullets of course but I know that isn't always all you get and am wondering at what age I can start confirming that they are indeed female. One of my Astralorps looks a little different than the other two. It's comb is about twice as large and that makes me wonder. Of course as these are my first chickens I have NO idea what to look for or how differently they can develop. The feathers and body's all look the same. Anyway, no hurry really, I'm enjoying them male or female right now but am just wondering.

 

[gryeyes]

Me? For certain? When they crow, or alternately, lay an egg.

I am really bad at telling chick sex. However, I notice that little boy chicks take longer to grow their tail feathers, because they're gonna have big fancy ones some day. The little girls get their tail feathers in earlier, because they aren't so fancy.

If you bought them as pullets, and were lucky enough to GET all pullets, then it's hard to look for comparisons/differences, isn't it!

If your little Australorp is a boy, then you have a perfect little flock ready-built, with a roo growing up with his harem.

 

[nivtup]

It really depends on the breed. Some show signs in the first two weeks, others, not so much.

You can pretty much tell by 16 weeks on most every breed.

The big comb is an early warning sign, probably a cockerel.

 

[wonderpup]

ugh, well I'll keep my fingers crossed for pullet b/c a roo is a no no. Hoping the comb being a bit bigger on this one is a fluke.

 

[gritsar]

I can usually tell by 4 to 6 weeks. Easiest if you have more than one chick of the same breed to compare.

 

[Judy]

All my Australorps had/have different sizes of combs and wattles; that is how I tell them apart. I had a roo for a while and his were huge, but I'm remembering how he looked as a mature roo. Don't give up yet.

 

[pkw]

By 4-6 weeks our little cockerels usually has redder combs than our little pullets and they are taller. I also look at the legs and the legs on my males are more thicker than the pullets. This works for the breeds I have anyhow.

 

[gritsar]

Comb color and/or size
Feathering - lack of back, wing bow and tailfeathers.
Cockerels have thicker, sturdier-looking legs
Sometimes a little roo just screams "Look at me! I'm a roo!"

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Psst........ya got any pictures?

 

[wonderpup]

Quote:
Yes I do. I will get more updated photos of them when the baby goes down for his nap.... if he goes down for a nap

My computer croaked with all my photos on it so I haven't been able to get on here and post them.

Anyway, I notice that his/her comb has not gotten any redder or any larger in the last few weeks, they are 8 pushing 9 weeks old now. The body's and feathers on all three look exactly the same to me, nobody has thicker legs than anyone else and nobody acts differently. They seem to take turn being the scaredy chicken throughout the day. My husband thinks they are all pullets but somebody here noticed in some of my coop photos that the chick in question looked like a little roo. At least it's not my favorite bird so yay for that.