What do you look for when sexing chicks?

Here’s my new batch of partridge orpingtons, 3 weeks old today. The first one is the only one I’m thinking is a girl, because her pattern is coming in even and uniform. The next two I think definitely boys because of the combs, and the last two I’m not sure about. I’m trying to see if the amount of black on the wings plays a role... Does it? (at this age)

30BF6C09-8C7A-483D-8F1E-639A074D08E8.jpeg
CC9AE645-AD47-4BF0-9E78-A29B1B52F1BA.jpeg
1DF3873E-9A9C-4627-849C-3465013E4720.jpeg
68265C89-2939-4CF5-85EA-B5DB0375561C.jpeg
A4C44B20-1C6A-4A14-B70A-347610F1FAC7.jpeg
 
This is for the sake of curiousity, and that I genuinely want to learn. I think it is just such a niche thing, and I've never seen what others see until we are close to a definitive "crow". How do you do it???
See, I'm a dairy farmer, and I'm used to reading cattle's body language, and disposition. Heck, I can tell a bull from a heifer by the shape of the hooves 9/10 before they've even made it all the way out of mama!
But when it comes to poultry? No dice or too late.

If I were to introduce a newcomer to my farm, and teach them how to "read" a cow, I would tell them something along the lines of
"Ears, eyes, nose, feet", as an introduction of what to look out for.

(Are the ears perky? Like satellites? 📡
Are the eyes bright, tired, squinted? 👀
Is the nose clean? Wet? Dry? Square? Narrow? 🐮
Are the feet healthy? Running right at you? 😵
)

So when it comes to sexing chicks, or heck, even telling the difference between a pullet and young rooster (aside from the crow), what would you tell a newcomer to look out for?
I go by feather. i can tell 3 days old with 8 out of 10 accuracy. if the longest flight, the cape and the tail feathers end in a point you have a boy. if gently rounded , a girl.
 
Cute! They look to be about the same age as mine. I’ll go take some pictures of mine and post as well. It would be fun to join forces and try to sex these guys as they grow. I’m having a hard time finding information on how to sex the partridge pattern, and what I do find is confusing.
Absolutely! I need to get my butt in gear and do a photo lineup with progress pictures. It will definitely help if in the future I decide to breed them, as well
 
This is for the sake of curiousity, and that I genuinely want to learn. I think it is just such a niche thing, and I've never seen what others see until we are close to a definitive "crow". How do you do it???
See, I'm a dairy farmer, and I'm used to reading cattle's body language, and disposition. Heck, I can tell a bull from a heifer by the shape of the hooves 9/10 before they've even made it all the way out of mama!
But when it comes to poultry? No dice or too late.

If I were to introduce a newcomer to my farm, and teach them how to "read" a cow, I would tell them something along the lines of
"Ears, eyes, nose, feet", as an introduction of what to look out for.

(Are the ears perky? Like satellites? 📡
Are the eyes bright, tired, squinted? 👀
Is the nose clean? Wet? Dry? Square? Narrow? 🐮
Are the feet healthy? Running right at you? 😵
)

So when it comes to sexing chicks, or heck, even telling the difference between a pullet and young rooster (aside from the crow), what would you tell a newcomer to look out for?

I would look at the comb. Is it large or prominent? How does it compare to the other chickens? Mostly, males have larger combs. But remember, different breeds have different combs. This only works when comparing the same breeds. Also, the feet: Are they unusually large? Is the chick larger, or smaller, than all of the other chicks of the same breed? Larger chicks tend to be roos while females are usually smaller. Some breeds at the adolescent age will have more pointy feathers near the neck if they are roosters while the females tend to have more rounded feathers near the neck when half grown. A rooster usually stands a bit more upward and streamlined; whereas, a female tends to be more rounded in the rear and doesn't lift her chest quite as high. Of course, this is not always the case; but, these methods have worked for me. Remember, this works best when comparing only the same breed of chicks.
 
I'm just learning how to post here. I would look at the comb. Is it large or prominent? How does it compare to the other chickens? Mostly, males have larger combs. But remember, different breeds have different combs. This only works when comparing the same breeds. Also, the feet: Are they unusually large? Is the chick larger, or smaller, than all of the other chicks of the same breed? Larger chicks tend to be roos while females are usually smaller. Some breeds at the adolescent age will have more pointy feathers near the neck if they are roosters while the females tend to have more rounded feathers near the neck when half grown. A rooster usually stands a bit more upward and streamlined; whereas, a female tends to be more rounded in the rear and doesn't lift her chest quite as high. Of course, this is not always the case; but, these methods have worked for me. Remember, this works best when comparing only the same breed of chicks.
This is for the sake of curiousity, and that I genuinely want to learn. I think it is just such a niche thing, and I've never seen what others see until we are close to a definitive "crow". How do you do it???
See, I'm a dairy farmer, and I'm used to reading cattle's body language, and disposition. Heck, I can tell a bull from a heifer by the shape of the hooves 9/10 before they've even made it all the way out of mama!
But when it comes to poultry? No dice or too late.

If I were to introduce a newcomer to my farm, and teach them how to "read" a cow, I would tell them something along the lines of
"Ears, eyes, nose, feet", as an introduction of what to look out for.

(Are the ears perky? Like satellites? 📡
Are the eyes bright, tired, squinted? 👀
Is the nose clean? Wet? Dry? Square? Narrow? 🐮
Are the feet healthy? Running right at you? 😵
)

So when it comes to sexing chicks, or heck, even telling the difference between a pullet and young rooster (aside from the crow), what would you tell a newcomer to look out for?
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom