Saddle Hackle
I need help in telling if my chickens are hens or roosters?
Hello all! I bought 6 chicks right before Easter this year for my son and we bought them from the straight run. Now I am trying to sort out if they are roosters or hens. I am fairly certain that two of them are roosters judging by the hackle and saddle feathers. No one is crowing yet but someone is making a strangled sound occasionally as though trying to crow. Any help is appreciated! They are almost 4 mos. old and I do have pictures of them. They are Araucanas and Wyandottes.
This is how we did it at the farm.I find sitting down on a stool or chair easier to start. You may want to have that ready ahead of time. Most times you sex the chicken when their just days old, much less stress for you. You may need help from an extra pair of hands to hold the chicken on its back. Just then use your hand to separate the feathers where it's private parts are and apply gentle pressure. If something pops out it's a male, if it doesn't it's a female. Start with the ones you suspect are males, then you can visually tell the difference. Hope that's not too disgusting, but males usually start fighting over females and can get injured or even killed if not separated soon enough. Each male should have it's own hen or two, that way the eggs will get fertilized and will create a chick.