When is a Rooster a Rooster?

[JenBirdRansom]

What I mean is...at what age can you tell if the chick is gonna be a "him" and not a "her"?

 

[paddock36]

Darn you ruined it for me. I was going to say you can tell its a roo when you know it's not a hen

LOL! Depends on the birds, some can be feather sexed, or you can have them sexed as chicks if you know how or buy them from someone who does. Some times their behavior or size gives it away, and sometimes when they crow.

 

[BlazeJester]

It really depends on the breed and even the individual. I could tell one of my araucana cockerels at 4 weeks, the other at 5. Lots of people still can't tell at 4-5 months.

 

[JenBirdRansom]

I'm gonna hatch some LF Cochins and I just didn't know if there was some kind of Rooster give away....like they all stand in the corner and whistle at the girls. If only it was that easy.

 

[paddock36]

Yep that's what they do!

 

[crankster76]

i was hoping ya meant'when is a roo old enough to be a dad' ?

ya can tell the sex at day old. then again about 6 weeks.

 

[theoldchick]

Can you pick out the cockeral in this photo?

Who's the cockeral in this photo?

Signs are more obvious in this photo:

Guess who this is?

Can you tell who the man is in this photo?

Oh me! Oh my! I believe this is a guy!

 

[JenBirdRansom]

I thought in that first picture it was for sure the little guy peaking out from behind all the others....cause he knew his fate.

I do see what you mean. Looks like a bigger comb on the wee ones. Then do they pretty much blend together until 6 weeks?

 

[theoldchick]

In the first photo the cockeral is the chick on the left. He is two weeks old. The last cockeral pictured turned into Stan the Man.

 

[crankster76]

1st pic its the one in the middle head higher than the rest. 3rd pic its the one with the food. 2nd to last its the one in front of and the one behind your hand.of course ya cant be right everytime