When can you tell a Delaware rooster from the pullets?

[horsymom]

I ordered some Delaware chicks this spring, and wanted 1 rooster in the order. The first order took 5 days to reach me, only two chicks survived that ordeal. The company reshipped replacement chicks, again, with one rooster. These reached me on time, but 1 chick died when I'd had them a week. So I have two 13 week old birds and a group of 9 week old birds, and still cannot tell if any are roosters. At what age can you start tell roosters from pullets in this breed?

Thanks!

 

[Pip's chicks]

Hello...I was just wondering where you ordered from? I ordered from Ideal and they told me they couldn't sex the chicks. I would like to order some more birds but would perfer only pullets...I have plenty of roosters that I don't know what I am going to do with! LOL Thank you.

 

[mama24]

I could tell pretty early with my Delawares. But they were medium quality breeder birds, not hatchery stock. I have seen on here that the things you use to sex breeder birds doesn't always work on hatchery birds. They get big combs pretty early, and the boys' will turn red pretty early on. I would think by the time they are fully feathered, you should be able to tell for sure. Boys also tend to have a lot more black on their shoulders between their wings. But I have seen that hatchery girls sometimes have this. But if you have chicks with a lot of messy black splotches between the shoulders, a bigger comb, and big thick legs, chances are it's a boy.

hth!

 

[fshinggrl]

Pictures would help. Keep posting and then share!

 

[Uniontown Poultry]

Del boys do tend to get bigger combs earlier, and as they get their feathers in, will have more gray/black on the tails, wings & necks. And Delaware boys tend to act, well, cocky. If you do end up with surplus cockerels, not to worry, Delawares are some of the quickest growing, good-eatinest chickens around.

 

[speckledhen]

Usually, males will get lots of "smut" down the backs between the wings which clears out as they mature. Pullets have cleaner backs from the start most of the time. It's not long on the Dels, though, since the boys have pink combs by 4 weeks old.

 

[remisophy]

I have 4 week old chicks I can tell by the little stripe on the tail feathers. hens dont have the stripe

 

[remisophy]

when I could tell my Delaware was a rooster he was about 3weeks I could vaguely see striping on thevtail end.... then i began to pray please lord don't let this baby be a rooster.... well turns out he is and he is a sweet boy we have handled him alot and still pick him up so he will be imprinted he is almost 6 months now. his Father was out down due to being very aggressive and attacking us hope this helps.

 

[newchickmommy6]

 

[newchickmommy6]