When do you know if you have roosters?

[LBRNRS]

I am new to having chickens ~ and I have 24! LOL 14 are 5 weeks old ...... and the other 10 are 2 weeks old. I am shocked that you can tell just by looking at them if they are roosters or not! (after reading some posts on other threads!) I know I have one because he just started trying to crow the other day (a 5 weeks old) ........ Isn't that the for sure way to tell? LOL Am I safe after a certain age? LOL I love my "girls!" ..... I don't want roosters! LOL (well, maybe one is ok) Also ..... several of them do that pecking thing ...... where they run up to each other and push their chest out toward each other ...... is that the pecking order they are figuring out ...... or is that what "Roosters" do? Thanks for the info!!

 

[Sunnysimplelife]

Some of mine do that too so I am interested in the answer.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

My chicks are about 3 weeks old and I'm seeing signs that I may have a cockerel or two in amongst my pullets.

I have two birds that are much more adventurous than the other birds, they constantly challenge eachother and the other birds in the flock. If I approach the flock they are always the first to greet me, when I reach into the Brooder (40 gallon Tank) to take the chicks outside for the day, these two are the ones that rush my hands and check it out, often pecking my fingers as they explore their contents...and their combs are much more developed and redder than the other birds in the flock.

Its still to early to tell for sure, but I suspect that I have 1 or 2 cockerels.

 

[Ole rooster]

From what I can tell there is a few ways. One is their way of holding themselves. The cockerels tend to stand more straight up. The pullets are more hunched over. The comb starts to come in very early. The only survivor I have out of my attempt at hatching from the incubator is a cockerel. That's depressing. I so wanted a pullet from my GLW. I have two other that are cockerels from the 6 I purchased from TSC. In a few more weeks I'll for sure if I'm right or not. I watched the others my broody hached and I picked those out so we'll see.

Oh, the tail feathers and wing tip feathers came in way sooner than the pullets also.