Sexing chicks......HELP!!!

[Alastair]

Hi and help!!

Can anyone please tell me if there is a reliable and easy method to tell the sex of chicks? Tried the 'feather length test' as described in books but this seems quite inaccurate. Also no good for day olds! As I am only allowed hens on my allotment this is causing problems when we leave them to grow on so that it is obvious which is which, especially when they start to crow at 3 am!!

Asked my father who said that his father knew and used to sex accurately...... but couldn't remember how he did it!!!! Seeing as my grandfather has been dead for nearly 40 years don't think asking him is going to help!!!

[lynda66]

crowing is a dead giveaway ... the best way to tell is to pick auto sexing breeds, with these the male and female chicks will be different colours .... otherwise, with most it seems like you just have to wait until its obvious

[MaureenHall]

Like Lynda said, the best way is to get a breed that can be sexed at hatching. Otherwise, as the ratio of girls to boys is roughly 50-50, then you'll have to get twice as many as you really want and when they grow up ................................... eat the boys

[Alastair]

Like Lynda said, the best way is to get a breed that can be sexed at hatching. Otherwise, as the ratio of girls to boys is roughly 50-50, then you'll have to get twice as many as you really want and when they grow up ................................... eat the boys

Would you believe it. I thought the same thing so hatched some Cream Legbars (Autosexing). Sure enough there were definate, obvious differences between sexes. Grew them on, got rid of the cockerals (a couple had started to crow anyway), then two weeks later a 'female' also started to crow!!! I give up!!!!!!!!!

[lynda66]

lol, took me 15 weeks to work out whether one of mine was male or not .... i don't think it's an exact science lol

[Hilary B]

If a hen has some kind of mishap that stops her laying, she becomes (effectively) a cockerel, but it won't change her feathers. Hens only use one ovary, the other remains dormant unless the 'main' one comes to harm. If the 'spare' does develop it develops as the chicken equivalent of a testicle. (not sure if that is ALWAYS the way it happens, but according to my old chicken book, it certainly CAN happen)

[sherry29]

Hello,
I was just reading your email about sexing chicks. That is a truly hard one to do. I am in the same boat as you. I have Jersey giant chick right now and I am wondering the same thing. I was told that if you flip the chick upside down and and press lightly where there vent area is, that if a litttle bump pops up like a little pimple that it is a male. I have been told this by a lot of people. I think I an going to try it and then some how mark the male roosters and see how right I am. Hope that helps some what.

Sherry

[davefromthechipie]

Hello,
I was just reading your email about sexing chicks. That is a truly hard one to do. I am in the same boat as you. I have Jersey giant chick right now and I am wondering the same thing. I was told that if you flip the chick upside down and and press lightly where there vent area is, that if a litttle bump pops up like a little pimple that it is a male. I have been told this by a lot of people. I think I an going to try it and then some how mark the male roosters and see how right I am. Hope that helps some what.

Sherry

This only works with chicks new born ( on 1st poo) So please dont try this unless you know what your doing on day old chicks Its very hard to learn !takes years apparently .

[MaureenHall]

that sounds plausible. Welcome to the vine btw, where are you located?

[chicken slave]

Hello,
I was just reading your email about sexing chicks. That is a truly hard one to do. I am in the same boat as you. I have Jersey giant chick right now and I am wondering the same thing. I was told that if you flip the chick upside down and and press lightly where there vent area is, that if a litttle bump pops up like a little pimple that it is a male. I have been told this by a lot of people. I think I an going to try it and then some how mark the male roosters and see how right I am. Hope that helps some what.

Sherry

I know that works with my goslings, but never heard of it on chicks. I have a few hatching next week so I will have to see if it works.