What are you looking for?

[chanceosunshine]

Question for the "eggsperts"...when you are sexing chicks, what exactly are you looking for? I know that different breeds have different features, but are there some general things you look for?

I was looking at my four week old bantam Cochins. If I only consider waddles, it looks like 8 of 11 are pullets. That would be a great rate for me, but it seems unlikely. What else should I be looking at?

 

[Egg Snatcher]

Look for a more upright position. Comb and wattles become larger and more red for rooster. Look for pointed neck feathers and development of saddle feathers for a roo.
Feather sexing as chicks works to. This is what I usually look for in chicks.

 

[3KillerBs]

I'm not an expert, but I'm learning.

I'm looking at combs when they're little and saddle feathers after they hit about 12-weeks.

It was clear that this little fellow (an Australorp/California White cross), was male before he was 3 weeks old.

This is a good reference for saddle feathers:

Tip: Some color patterns can make hens' rounded hackles look pointed. If you can't see the shape of the feather well -- particularly difficult on white or black birds -- slip your hand or a piece of paper under the feathers so that you can see the individual feathers more clearly.

Feather sexing as chicks works to.

Feather sexing only works with breeds/lines/crosses where it has been deliberately bred for.

 

[chanceosunshine]

Thank you both.