Can anyone sex these chicks?

[jessmorris]

Hello,
these marans and sablepoots are 5 weeks old - can anyone sex them for me? The marans keep 'squaring up' to each other which makes me think they may be boys...(though the chicks were mostly black which should suggest girls apparently)? And the pooters look like two boys and two girls (only three shown)...or is it too early to tell?
Thanks,
Jess

[MrsC]

I'm no expert, but going off those pics, 1 boy and 1 girl on the marans (left being the boy), 2 boys and 1 girl on the poots (2 on the right being the boys) Sure someone will be along soon to let you know

[jessmorris]

Thats what I thought! I'll see what other replies I get. I had no idea that chciks changed so quickly, I was looking forward to weeks of fluffy loveliness.....

[RichmondHens]

Ditto Mrs C.

Did you really think they would be fluffy for weeks? The boys may start to crow at 7 weeks and by 12 weeks they will be turning into little thugs. At 20 odd weeks they might be big enough to eat!

[jessmorris]

I'm only a starry eyed beginner in all this!

[jessmorris]

PS the marans are thugs already - dashing about, digging up the run, standing on tiptoes to have a nose in their ma's feeder, feinting at each other, squeaking, peeping and even pecking me!

[MrsC]

Jess, I have a 4 wk old Silver Laced Wyandotte and I said he was a boy right from the start. He's a swine, but cute, not for much longer though I think!

[jessmorris]

Coq au vin?!

[MrsC]

Not for me, I'm veggie. He's cute though and I'm a softy will try to keep him because he was the last to hatch and had splayed legs and I splinted them, he also has a curled toe so sort of hops around at time. I'm a sucker for a sob story lol

[jessmorris]

Ahh. Its hard not to get attached to them. These are my first hatchlings and I'll be sorry to se them go.....

[Bramble-Poultry]

Can't tell with combs on a cuckoo maran easiest way to tell is at chick stage - you can sex them easiest when still fluffy! however at this age .......... USUALLY the darker maran will be a girl as the boys are lighter (opposite to all other marans where the lighter is the girl!) and boys actually have different patterning - so def 1 girl, I'm not convinced about the other without grabbing hold of it and pulling its neck feathers back!! However it will become apparent very quickly at this age as if its a he then he will start to get less "cuckooing" (you know what I mean) down his back - he will retain it on his chest but will become more barred on his back and he may start to develop yellowy/orangy tinge to his hackles, his hackle will also become very long - its difficult to explain but will be obvious when it happens! He can be up to a six months old before full comb and wattles come, so not a good guide of sex!

Sablepoots - 2 boys and a girl there I'm afraid!! Shame your not nearer would have taken a boy!

[jessmorris]

Thanks

Big thankyous to everyone who responded. The maran chicks were both nearly black when fluffy so I thought they would be girls -ah well! The pooters are deffo two of one sort and two of the other - so 2 gels and 2 boys I think!

[Nicos]

My male copper black Marans chicks have longer tails and wing feathers than the females- no idea if that is the case with the cookoo Marans though.

[Nicos]

I'm not convinced about the other without grabbing hold of it and pulling its neck feathers back!! !

Out of interest- what would you be looking for by doing that??

[its hilly]

On the barred wyandottes the chicks are all hatched black, but the boys have a white spot on the top of their heads and the girls dont. Does that happen in the cuckoo Maran? I was told it does with barred rocks, and they said they thought with all barred breeds but weren't sure.