When do chicks become rooster and start crowing?

[pat100]

I have 11 chicks (about 7 weeks old). I can not tell if any one is a rooster or not. I live in the city and afraid of roosters crowing to bother my neighbors. I will give roosters away to a farm. How do i differenciate hen from rooster? and when do male chicks act out to be roosters? Thank you, Patrick

 

[KellyHM]

What type of chicks are they? In most breeds the males will develop bigger redder combs faster. At 8-10 weeks of age they will also develop pointy saddle feather on either side of their tails.

 

[UrbanEgg]

I was just coming here to ask almost the exact same question. I am 99% sure my RIR is a roo and I was wondering when he would start to crow. I knew by about 10-12 weeks he was a rooster. He's over 15 weeks now. Of the 4 new chicks we got this spring, he has thicker legs, deeper color, larger comb and wattles by a lot, and beautiful long tail feathers. He's also the most aggressive, chasing the girls around.

We had already decided that if we got any boys, they would become dinner (sorry if this offends anyone). We just can't have a rooster in the city, even if its allowed our neighbors would kill us. We are going on vacation in about 3 weeks and will be gone for 2 weeks. We have some capable chicken sitters lined up, however we can't have him start crowing while we are gone. Is it usual for him to not crow this late? He sounds a lot like the girls in his noises. And when would he start being able to make our eggs fertile? I would prefer to not have that happen.

Sorry, I guess I thread-jacked this post

 

[hinkjc]

Crowing varies a lot in birds. I've had some crow at 2 days old already and many that don't crow until 14-20 weeks.

I wouldn't count on the crow to tell you who the rooster is though, as a flock without a rooster will produce crowing hens quite often.

 

[kagedgoddess]

my little rir roos is 7wks old (maybe 8wks) and he is starting to crow. its a honk and so Funny!, but the other roo is not even trying to crow. they both had red combs and wattles coming in at around 4wks. my 4 others are sexlinks and pullets, so i had a for sure comparison. the girls are Just starting to get little pink spots under their chins now.
i am SO impatient for Eggs! lol. my dh wants to keep one roo at least, so i m thinking that means .... BABIES!!!! YAY! (dont tell him my plans tho. LOL.)

 

[chixie]

I got my chickens back in march and I have two roos and I have only heard crowing from one of them once

 

[crissycriss]

my golden laced wyandott rooster is 8wks old.He just started trying to crow this morning.Its realy cute to see them trying to crow.

 

[Scarlit]

My two Roosters didn't start crowing till 16 weeks. Tho, my dominant roo did try once or twice at 8 weeks, but gave up quickly until recently.
I now have 3 crowing chickens, 2 roos and a hen! XD

Also my dominant roo, Frost, has started mating at 20-22wks of age.

 

[shortgrass]

A lot of factors can come into play with cockerels deciding when to start crowing..Just this year alone, I've had banty Cochin roos compete within a few days if each other, at just 8 weeks; a Red Star that started at 12, AFTER I culled the already crowing banties, and then a Silkie that waited until I shipped off the Red Star before he would even come out of hiding lol, he was 28 weeks. I now have 2 cockerels at 8 weeks, and anticipate it any day...

Some have said they've had roos that didn't start for almost a year! Me, no such luck, its usually around 20 weeks. But sometimes they won't crow in the presence of a bigger, louder male, like in the case with my silkie; And sometimes they'll start crowing sooner, as competition. So, its really just a guessing game as to when they'll warble out their first attempts

 

[gimmie birdies]

I have a rooster named Boss, but he is a gentle giant. maybe a brama, has not mated, or crowed. 7 months old. He is not causing trouble so he can stay.