[Prod]

I guess this might have been asked a few times (tho I did do a search & nothing came up)   At what age can you start to tell the sex of chicks (apart from auto or sexed linked of course?)   I let my bluebelle sit on 6 eggs, 3 of which hatched. At the time I had a Welsummer Cockerel and also a pair of Buff Orpingtons.   I know for sure that one chick is a cream legbar/welsummer cross as I saw it hatch from the blue shell, it is black with a little creamy yellow stripe on it's head.  The other two I am not sure but one of them could be a BO as I did stick one of her eggs in, it is creamy/buff with some dark flecks, mainly on it's head.  The third is tiny and is predominantly black with a greyish white chest and yellow round it's eyes which makes it look like a penquin!!!   Knowing my luck they will all be cockerels  but I would like to know sooner than later,  even though I am not sure what I will do.  They are all feathering quite well and I am surprised to even see their wing feathers.  Chrystal ball stuff I guess??

[ANHBUC]

The more you hatch and observe the easier it gets to tell them apart fairly early on.  Some of mine I have worked out as early as 2 weeks old.  There are always a percentage that you are unsure of and just have to wait and see.  Some of my Welsummer bantam cross chicks were quite easy to sex at day old.  I usually leg ring with numbers on and write down what sex I think they are so I can see how accurate I am when they mature. 

If you can post some photos particularly of their heads we can all have a guess.   

[Prod]

If you can post some photos particularly of their heads we can all have a guess.   

Will these help???

[GrannieAnnie]

I know this isn't going to help, but our shaver blacks, which are basically a cross between a RIR cockerel and a barred plymouth rock hen are similar looking to picture 2 and the boys have a white blob on their heads like that one.

They are auto sexing so its easier to cull the boys at hatch rather than have to wait until they start crowing.

The chick in picture 3 does have rather a large comb, but neither of those are definites!  And to me, the 1st chick looks like a girl! 

Good luck!

[Prod]

For some reason I think the black ones are male & the buff female too. The problem is I could not dispatch them now, or later. Here are some more pix, if it helps....

[ANHBUC]

It is looking that way Prod but you will see the colouring of the comb in the next few weeks.  If you keep taking photos as they develop it does help as a reference when you next have a hatch. 

How are you going to cope with extra cockerels if you are unable to cull them?

[Prod]

It is looking that way Prod but you will see the colouring of the comb in the next few weeks.  If you keep taking photos as they develop it does help as a reference when you next have a hatch. 

How are you going to cope with extra cockerels if you are unable to cull them?

What am I looking for, a deeper colour in the male or more growth? I don't know what I will do to be honest, there is no way I could dispatch them especially as it may not be that they are cockerels.........

[ANHBUC]

Yes the comb on the males is more prominent and has a redder tinge, the females comb is paler.

I usually wait until I am certain and then grow them until they start to crow.  They are then big enough to make a small meal so that they are not getting culled and wasted.  It is not for everyone but I feel it is respectful to them that their short life has had a point.

[Sassy]

Yes the comb on the males is more prominent and has a redder tinge, the females comb is paler.

I usually wait until I am certain and then grow them until they start to crow.  They are then big enough to make a small meal so that they are not getting culled and wasted.  It is not for everyone but I feel it is respectful to them that their short life has had a point.

Exactly what I used to do

[Prod]

My three chicks are now 5 weeks old so I have added more pix to see what sex people think they are???

[Sparkyrog]

I would consider both the dark ones to be cocks 

[ANHBUC]

It is still looking like the two dark ones are male and the light one female.

One of my 11 week old boys has started to try and crow today, I thought one of the hens was getting murdered!!