when can I tell?

[scootermom]

My chicks are between 10 and 8 days old, and are growing so fast! When will it be obvious which ones are roosters (hopefully none). I am hoping that my son's Delaware in paticular is a pullet, he is so in love with "her"!

 

[chkinut]

i THINK it's around 10 - 12 weeks old. but i could be wrong. i know with silkies it can take months to tell! (until they crow or lay)

 

[scootermom]

Oh boy. I have a few long months ahead of me...

 

[chkinut]

yeah, and there's certain characteristics you wanna look for too.....i would go online and do a search, or maybe somebody else here on BYC can give you a better answer. but i do know that pullets feather out faster. a roos comb will turn pink and be bigger than the pullets. they're legs will also look bigger/taller than a pullets. i'm sure there's other things out there to look for though. good luck! did u hatch out your own or did u get a straight run?

 

[scootermom]

I bought from a backyard breeder. She said she was pretty good at telling based on rubbing thier foreheads and by color and some other stuff I don't remember. I have my fingers crossed!

 

[chkinut]

so does she say that she thinks she gave u pullets?

 

[1/2DozenWings]

I've got 3 roos of 3 different breeds, the other 13 being females. They are all 3 weeks old. I have been able to pick out the roos already: look for a slightly larger size (if you have females of the same breed), bigger/stronger legs, and ......chest butting!

 

[scootermom]

Yes, I told her I had no intention of keeping roosters. She said she would exchange roosters for pullets of the same age/breed - but I hope to keep the ones we have.

 

[scootermom]

I wish I could compare like to like, but they are all different breeds. It's interesting to see how they grow in fits and starts, one overtaking the group one day and the next morning, look out! Now that one is the biggest!

 

[1/2DozenWings]

Quote:
That's so true. I have just got into raising chicks this spring. They are so interesting, and they change each day as you said, and they already have their own personalities that continue to take shape each day!

I can't wait to get home from work to hang out with them for awhile, and I've been getting to work a bit late for the same reason!