Single hen

[BethBubbles]

In the three weeks since we've had our lovely little chicks we've been continually trying to fathom their sex. I've looked on endless websites and even asked a vet (who did say we would not be able to tell for a while) but every time we make a decision, they appear to dramatically 'change sex'. It's hilarious! Almost as though they are laughing at us thinking 'ha ha, they think I'm a boy, silly people'! They're six weeks now and I still couldn't even begin to make an accurate guess. Does anyone know at what age you can tell their sex? I've heard stories about them 'changing sex' right up to six months but surely this is unusual. Our boys will be going to live on a farm and I will be so sad to see them go. Lets hope for ten out of ten girls!

[The Dogmother]

Unless they are a self-sexing breed, you can't usually tell until at least 6 weeks... sorry

 

It's fun guessing though.

[Lesley]

I don't think they're changing sex so much as it is their feathering which changes from day to day.......

 

Unless you have the ones which have completely different feathering from day one then it can be difficult to tell for a long time.

 

I wouldn't worry too much - the feathers do eventually show up which are cockerels and usually before they start to crow! When the cockerels do start to crow, they have a few days of practising when they aren't very good...or very loud....so, you'll have time to take them to the farm. I hope you get the 10 out of 10....but that would be very lucky!

 

Our last hatch were 3 boys and 2 girls - we were hoping it would be the other way round.

[BethBubbles]

They say cockerels feathers are supposed to more pointy and the hens more rounded but they all look the same to me! They all look rounded and are developing at the same rate.

 

I guess I will have to stop being so impatient and just wait and see!

[feemcg]

I've found with a lot of my chicks the girls feather up quicker than the boys, and the pointy tip of the longest primary feather reaches the end of their back/start of their tail sooner (if you know what I mean) I'll try and find some pics that show it.

[BethBubbles]

I'll take a picture of each tonight to see if anyone can make more of an accurate guess than me!

 

That makes more sense about the feathers - especially with one of them. It had the long feather you describe and I put this down to an attribute of the cocks (it was also behaving slightly cocklike!) but yesterday it suddenly became the most hen like of them all!

 

Pictures to follow!

[Griffin]

With my six (now 3 & a half weeks old) I've used various methods. Started off on day one with feather sexing, where you look at the tips of their feathers and that indicated 4 girls, 1 boy and 1 I was unsure of. Then I watched their feathers growing, especially tail feathers because girls are supposed to grow theirs before the boys. My 4 provisional girls quickly had very long tails, the one I thought was a boy was slow to get going but now that ones tail fits in nicely with the girls. The one I wasn't sure about seemed to chanel all it's energies into growing massive sturdy legs, a massive comb and didn't bother with feathering up at all It looks like a boy, stands like a boy and acts more masculine than the others. The one who feather sexing said was a boy now to me doesn't look as boyish as he did initially. I really am unsure about that one.

 

They've started to grow neck feathers now so I'll be watching those with interest. I've never had any doubts about my little runty Robin being a girl. She has no comb, stands like a girl and now is growing lovely rounded feathers on her neck.

 

If I'm honest I'll put one of the girls into the 'I'm not sure' catagory too now. I'm 95% sure it's a girl but there is a niggling doubt

 

Five more chicks hatched on Tuesday. I've feather sexed those and have just the one girl Fingers crossed I'm wrong

 

I wish they'd all come out just pink and blue!

[BethBubbles]

I wish it was as easy as baby people!

 

What should I look for on the neck feathers? One of ours who I initially placed as a girl has just grown pointy black neck feathers which I believe is a boy thing?

[feemcg]

Here's a girl and boy Exchequer Leggie.....even at a few days old the girl has more developed primaries

 

 

[BethBubbles]

They're so cute!!! However, I can't see any difference. I'm definitely going to need all your help! I wish I could run home and take pictures now!

[Griffin]

Too late for yours now but if you have any chicks in future this photo is helpful.

 

[The Dogmother]

Lesley and I did similar comparisons when we both hatched barnies from eggs that her hens laid.. they werer inconclusive

 

 

 

It became obvious a couple of weeks later that I had one of each. Not that this was borne out by the old wing feather test.

[BethBubbles]

It's doubly hard for us as they're all different breeds so can't do comparisons. At six weeks there should be indications though I think. It's such fun trying to work it out!

[fluffyknickers]

I have no idea and cant help, but I just want to say they are SO cute! I want the little black one in the middle and the pale yellow on the outside.

[BethBubbles]

You don't know how hard it is to leave them and go to work in the morning!

[The Dogmother]

Oh, I do!

[BethBubbles]

Ha ha, yes, that was a pretty silly thing to say on here!

[Griffin]

My latest ones are temporarily in a hamster cage on the landing. Just going up and down the stairs is taking a considerable length of time It's lovely standing on the stairs, looking at them through the bannisters and being at eye level with them A regular, mundane happening is now so much more entertaining!

[BethBubbles]

Ours are in a similar enclosure in our spare room. They've just started to go without the heat lamp but when we first got them I spent a whole day staring at them and gave myself a migraine from being too close to the heat bulb!

 

Good exercise going up and down the stairs though!

[BethBubbles]

I've just taken some new pictures of the little ones to see if anyone can take an acurate guess at their sexes. Let me know what you all think! They're all now six weeks old except the silkies who are eight weeks old...

 

Mr Fantastic

 

 

 

Stewy

 

 

 

Pingu

 

 

 

Dave

 

 

 

Fajhita

 

 

 

Mo

 

 

 

Bruno

 

 

 

Large Lumps

 

 

 

Captain Jack Sparrow

 

 

 

Oscar

 

 

 

I have my thoughts about each of them but I don't want to influence your decisions! So, what do you think? Who are the girls and who are the boys???

 

[Griffin]

Mr Fantastic - I don't know, I'm no good with Silkies.

Stewy - Girl, has no comb whatsoever.

Pingu - I'd be inclined to say boy just because of the way it's standing, not a massive comb but may be slow maturing.

Dave - Girl, no comb.

Fajhita - Girl because of the way it stands.

Mo - Maybe a girl.

I've no idea about Bruno or Large Lumps!

Captain Jack Sparrow - Boy.

Oscar - Girl

[The Dogmother]

Ok, here's my guess:

 

Mr Fantastic, girl (despite looking like Gary Rhodes)

Stewy, unsure, probably a girl

Pingu, BOY

Dave, girl

Fajita, gril but hard to tell with that posture

Mo, BOY

Bruno...hhhhmmmm, girl I think

Large lumps - no idea!

Captain Jack, girl

Oscar, Boy... just look at those feet!

 

What's the prize and do you know what breeds they are?

[tom123]

Here is my guess...

 

 

Mr Fantastic - girl

Stewy - girl

Pingu - boy

Dave - girl

Fajita - girl

Mo - def boy

Bruno - girl

Large lumps - boy

Captain Jack - girl

Oscar - boy

 

Good Luck, any ideas what the other breeds are?

 

Tom

[Egluntyne]

Here is my four pennyworth:

 

Mr Fantastic - girl

Stewy - boy

Pingu - boy

Dave - unsure. Tail and stance makes me think boy. Face says girl.

Fajita - girl

Mo - boy

Bruno - boy

Large Lumps - girl

Captain Jack - boy

Oscar - boy

[fluffyknickers]

No idea at all as a total novice but Pingu, Mo and Bruno already have combs bigger than one of my from Omlet - I wont show her as she will be SO jealous! x