What age can you tell the gender?

[Willow's Meadow]

Some people have told me 5 weeks some have told me 8 weeks. What age can you tell the gender(of Brahmas and Buff Orpingtons if that helps!)?

 

[pkw]

I have some chicks that I have been able to tell the difference at 4 weeks (the cockerels combs are big and red) but I have others that I still can't tell. My New Hampshires I couldn't tell until they were almost 8 weeks old. I am beginning to think it must depend upon the breed as to how soon you can tell the difference. My buff rocks I have known since 4 weeks what gender they are.

 

[Veggie4life55]

I have been able to sex most of our chickens at 4 weeks old. Our latest Bantam Cockeral that was supposed to be a pullet was re-sexed around 4 weeks when his comb turned red. Cockerels combs turn red early. Not always so. but its a pretty good indication.

Some people say they start learning to crow early and then you can tell. But that is much later and I have never had a cockeral start crowing early. The last started earlier than my other roosters but he also had two other roosters to listen to. He started crowing at about 10 weeks.

 

[bjw113]

My Buff Orpingtons - I was able to determine the rooster about 5 weeks. His comb just started to get a little darker. Now my flock is 8 weeks old, and he is starting to develop his pretty tail feathers. I also have 12 Plymouth White Rocks - they are all supposed to be pullets - and so far, I don't have any that look different. I would figure I would know at this age, since the BO's were distinguishable a couple weeks ago! Hope this helps. You can look at my page and see a picture of my roo "Ernie". He is in the center front of a couple of the pictures. Hope this helps. Aren't chickens the best???

 

[perolane]

With my lt. brahmas, around 6 weeks old, the area just above the beak... roos will be redder while the pullet is rather pale. Also at around 10 weeks when the tail feathers come in, the pullets have straight rigid tail feathers...the roos tails are puffy & short.