The Poultry Keeper

oatley · Joined: 25 Feb 2008 Posts: 35 Location: cornwall

When chicks aged about 4 weeks fight each other face to face, head on, jumping up and down, not too seriously - are they DEFINITELY male?

If this is the case - I have 6 out of 7 that are male. Bad news.

Pekinout · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 1178 Location: Cornwall

Sometimes hens act that way too, it's sorting out the pecking order. The only way to be sure they're male is other things, like do they have bigger wattles and combs than some of the others, thicker legs, stand more erect and watchful (hens usually busy themselves with heads down stuffing their faces with food).

What breed are they? Could you could post a pic maybe someone on here can tell you by looking at the pics?

EGirl · Joined: 01 Nov 2007 Posts: 1263 Location: Dublin, Ireland

I wouldn't stick my neck out and say definately, but I have six chicks at 8 weeks and the four boys Mad

mock fight all the time, the hens do occasionally but only in response and they back down almost immediately......you may well have mostly cockerals, sorry!

oatley · Joined: 25 Feb 2008 Posts: 35 Location: cornwall

Tahnkyou pekinout.

That offers some hope.

They are mixed. Mostly pekin bantams in 3 different colours, plus a welsummer and a light sussex. The two lavender pekins have pink combs already, so I am thinking probably makle there, and I know that you should be able to tell with the welsummer, but it was never that clear to me.

Are you in Cornwall too? I am in Penryn.

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3452 Location: Monmouthshire

Any black breast feathers in a Welsummer indicate a male. mine hatched on the 9th and I dealt with them yesterday. 5 male, 4 female.

mojo · Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 8:49 pm Post subject:

differant breeds act differant but hens DO mock fight to gain dominance so dont reckon they are coqs if fighting

JC · Joined: 24 Mar 2008 Posts: 1099 Location: Sussex

Fighting isn't a very good sign off whether they are male or female, both do it.

oatley · Joined: 25 Feb 2008 Posts: 35 Location: cornwall

So then the welsummer is male (black breast feathers starting to appear), and I'll wait and see on the others.

Thanks to all who replied - you have offered me hope.

OK - so what really is the best way to "deal with" the males - sorry - horrible question I know.

Pekinout · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 1178 Location: Cornwall

Yes Oatley, I'm up near Launceston on the edge of Bodmin Moor. It's a bit bleak today, strong wind and rain.

With pekin chicks sometimes its hard to tell when it should be obvious. I had 4 gold partridge I marked as cocks up til this week, they're 9 weeks last w/end just gone, ones started clucking like a hen, and got a bustle growing. Good job I didnt let her go with the 2 cocks I rehomed last week.

Tarka · Joined: 21 Dec 2007 Posts: 401

All chicks have a play fight known again .
Usually the cocks will continue to do it regular though till the pecking order has been firmly established .

Watch them closely and you'll soon tell the difference between the cocks and hens though , bone growth - tail carriage - combs feathering . Within a week the signs can show in certain breeds .

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3452 Location: Monmouthshire

I use Semark pliers on the young birds - quick and bloodless.