When will I know the gender?

[libbyhan]

I have 3 partridge rock chicks and one "production red" chick that are about a week old. We are in LOVE.

First time chicken owners.

But, we're really not up for a rooster and my newly build coop only holds 4 chickens (16 SF with a huge run). We are in the northeast and have some cold winters.

I ordered 2 more (2 auracanas?), but cancelled the order today when another poster confirmed what I knew but was denying..... that my coop is too small for 6.

The dilema: the feed store is getting its final shipment in on May 26. Will I know if I have any roosters by then? If so, I'd likely get another 1-2 and find someone to take my roo (s). It will break my heart, but I don't think that I could eat him myself.

Why no roos? The idea of fertilized eggs freaks me out!!!!

I remember cracking one open when I was a kid that had that blood spot in it? It still haunts me. Maybe I am too much of a wussy for chickens?

Too late. We love.

 

[urbanolive]

Guess what ? Those blood spots are NOT signs of fertilized eggs, all hens have that occasionally-some more than others, with or without a roo ! There is a really good thread on here somewhere that shows how to tell if an egg is fertilized....anyone have the link ? I know what you mean though, it looks icky and I usually toss the ones with blood spots ...

 

[hipeatall]

fertilized eggs will have a bullseye...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=327956
as long as you collect your eggs at least daily and store them in the fridge... you shouldn't have any scary incidents... my guess is you saw more than just a wee bloodspot... eek!

 

[gritsar]

I agree that blood spots and meat spots are not an indication of a fertilized egg.
To answer your question about gender - if the chicks are not sex links, you usually have to wait unitl four to six weeks when the secondary sex characteristics start to show up, but even then it's difficult with some chicks.

 

[hipeatall]

even better site

... just in case you are interested in seeing some bulls-eye pics!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=16008

 

[libbyhan]

DOH!!! Well, that blood spot news is news to me! I have to say, though, that I just looked (and why did I do that) at some of the other freaky eggs that people have found and the blood spot seems TAME compared. So, I guess I need to get over myself.

Thanks for the link on the bull's eye.

So, I may not know what I've got when the final chick shipment comes in. That's fine. I should just be happy with the 4 I have..... but they are like potato chips, aren't they? Can't have just 1 (or 4 in this case).

Thanks everyone!

 

[stargazer1974]

Oh, just build an extension on that new chicken coop and GET MORE CHICKENS!!!

 

[urbanolive]

How long is your roost ? Ours is 8 ' long but all 6 hens sleep scrunched together on one end , they seem to need about 10 " of space each. If you have a really large run it seems you could have more chickens because they don't spend hardly any time in the henhouse except at nite when they are sleeping. Even when it is bitterly cold they want to be in the run. I'd say order the 2 more chicks, you will love the Auracanas and surely you will end up with a roo-or 3 roos!