Debbie Vail, NC
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Rooster or Hen?

5/21/2012

11 Comments

 
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Is there a method that is 100% accurate on detecting whether or not a chick is a rooster or a hen?   My guess is there is not.   Even with the sexing instrument they use to tell the difference it sometimes comes down to a very trained eye.   According to most mail order chicken businesses you will find an accuracy record pretty close to 100% but not quite.  The mail order business I order my chicks from states that they have a 90% sexing accuracy guarantee and will refund 50% of the cost of each chick that was not the correct sex reported between 10 and 18 weeks.   I have ordered from the same company now for two years.  The first year all my chicks were hens and was what I specified.  This year my chicks are only 4 weeks old and I will not know for sure until later if all 28 are indeed hens.  

I have included pictures of Scarlett (a 15 week old Rhode Island Red).  Scarlett was named in hopes that she was a hen but only time will tell.  She was given to me from a friend who loves chickens as much as I do.  

I thought that the spurs on the legs would be a good indicator of whether you had a rooster or a hen but I have learned that most all breeds of chickens have early spur knobs, hens included.  See the picture of Scarlett's legs below and you will see the small pimple-like protrusion where a spur may or may not grow.   

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But since this is not an early indicator of a rooster or a hen, then maybe the tail feathers will be.  Here you see Scarlett's tail feathers are a little curly.   This may be indication of a rooster but not sure yet. 

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Her neck feathers are starting to grow a little longer and glossier.   

Behavioral signs may be present early in roosters like being bossy, or pushy and intolerant.  Recall my previous post about Scarlett being intolerant of other chickens and especially of my dog, Buffy.  If Buffy stands still long enough, Scarlett will let her know that she needs to move on.   I have read that larger combs and wattles may be an indicator of a rooster but this depends on breeds and can vary within breeds too.   I don't know but time will tell if Scarlett is truly Scarlett or maybe Scarlo.  Anybody want to take a guess?
11 Comments
Leslie
5/25/2012 06:32:23 am

I think Scarlett is a male based on the long pointy feathers around his neck... can you take a photo of the feathers that come down from just in front of the tail? Those will be long and pointy (not blunt) if Scarlett is a male. I would have expected the feathers right around the tail to be pointy, too, so I may be wrong about the cape feathers!

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Debbie link
5/25/2012 05:33:26 pm

Leslie,
I do need to look at those feathers again. Do you mean the feathers on the top of the back right before the tail feathers?

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Leslie
5/25/2012 11:34:14 pm

Yes, the "saddle" feathers on the top of the back just before the tail. Looking at the photo of the tail feathers again I am about to change my mind back to female. :) But the saddle feathers are a little better guideline. I looked at the photos of Scarlett from the earlier post and the feathers look blunt. I think she's a she. I posted the above comment before looking at the photos from earlier this week.

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Debbie link
5/26/2012 02:42:14 am

Leslie,

So glad you are thinking that Scarlett is a hen. That makes me very happy since I have rooster troubles. I know you know more about this than I do. She has been a difficult one to figure out. Thanks for watching, reading and commenting on my chicken blog.

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Leslie
5/26/2012 02:49:26 am

Well, I hope I'm right!! :) The saddle feathers are a really good indicator. Also, a male's comb would already be red, probably. That may vary by breed, but I've noticed our babies' combs turn red really early when they are male.

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Deb Burlingame link
6/9/2012 10:30:06 pm

I think Scarlet might be "trans-gendered". There's one in every flock! :)

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Debbie Vail
6/16/2012 05:09:37 pm

Update: Scarlett is a hen!

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Deb Burlingame link
6/16/2012 08:57:27 pm

Did she lay an egg????

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Leslie
6/16/2012 09:17:04 pm

yay!,,,

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Debbie Vail link
6/17/2012 11:11:52 am

No, no egg yet but I expect it any day now. Scarlet continues to amaze me with her curious nature. If someone drives up it won't be long til Scarlet is checking them out up close.

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Leslie
6/17/2012 01:13:06 pm

How fun!

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