when does sex appear?

[Yello]

When can you tell if you have a rooster in your mix? I have 10 - 16 week old chickens. No crowing from anyone at this point and they all look very similar amongst their breeds.

 

[chick4chix]

Welcome to BYC

Can you post some photos of the chickens in question?

 

[SilkieBantams]

For some it's hard to tell but you can always wait when they begin crowing or laying.

 

[Yello]

I don't think I can post pics yet.

 

[Lothiriel]

At 16 weeks you should definitely be able to tell if you have any cockerels. They will have much bigger and redder combs than pullets at that age. And depending on the breed, may be sexed by color.

 

[farmerChef]

you should be seeing pointy saddle and hackle feathers on the roosters.
Here's a close up of a young roo's saddle feathers

and a newer pic

 

[OwlLover]

About 2 weeks. Boys have about 1/4 inch of tail feathers and girls have about 3/4-1 inch.

 

[Illia]

Quote:
That is not a reliable way to sex chickens, sorry.



It really depends on the breed, but in the end around 5 months and up, the boys crow and have bigger, redder comb/wattles than the girls and the girls lay eggs, and don't have showy necks or curled tail feathers.

Pictures help.

 

[Yello]

It would seem, based on all your comments, that I have all girls, Yay!!!!

I guess for certain, time will tell!