When newborn chickens born to the world dry out, they are almost impossible to distinguish from each other. But how in this case to cope with a very important task, how to determine the sex of the chicken?
For experienced poultry farmers, this is a matter of a few seconds, but those who are just starting to breed poultry will have to pretty much practice in order to gain this skill.
The most accurate result is given by the method of determining gender by DNA and by studying the chromosome set of birds. However, it is unlikely that effective, but extremely expensive and technically complicated methods will be available to ordinary farmers and household farmers in the near future. Therefore, in their practice, most of them adhere to the old, proven by a huge number of generations of chickens and roosters methods, which are based on external differences and behavioral characteristics of chicks.
To get the most accurate answer to the question: “How to distinguish a rooster chicken from a chicken?” Is really extremely important. When purchasing chickens or after their birth in an incubator, a poultry farmer needs to accurately represent the composition of the herd being formed. If we are talking about meaty breeds, roosters will be happy in the house, and for getting eggs - not to do without healthy, strong chickens.
The easiest way to divide the chicks to owners of breeds, cocks and hens which differ in color. In this case, even the one who sees poultry for the first time sees the task.
But how to distinguish a rooster from a hen, if the chickens are “face to face”?
How to determine the sex of the chicken in size?
Many beginning poultry breeders believe that growing larger roosters, being chickens, are also more females. Indeed, there is such a difference, but it is only 1–2 grams, and in some cases the rule does not work at all.
Wanting to know how to determine the sex of a chicken, it is much more effective to observe not its weight, but external signs. In males, for example, already at day of age, legs are stronger and wider. But experienced poultry farmers trust more about how winged feathers look on the wings of chicks.
How to distinguish a rooster or hen on the wings of chickens?
This method is popular with the owners of small private farmsteads, and with the specialists of large farms. The growth of plumage and its features are already visible on the first day after birth, therefore, conclusions about gender can be made from the appearance of the wings.
How to distinguish chickens by sex by this method? In males, primary feathers are longer, and wingspan is wider than in future chickens of the same age. Females on the wings can see feathers of different lengths. The sorting accuracy according to these characteristics ranges from 60 to 80%, which allows using the method even in industrial conditions, reinforcing the results with other test options.
How to determine the rooster or chicken on the reflex reactions of the chicken?
It has long been observed that chickens and roosters react differently to these or other interventions. Before determining the sex of the chicken in this way, the chicks are gently picked up by the legs, turned over with the head or laid back. Chickens usually stretch their necks, while future chickens, on the contrary, are grouped.
A similar reaction can be observed, if something to arouse, scare the young. The chickens immediately sit down on the litter, and the cockerels run away alarmed and try to take a threatening pose.
Japanese way to distinguish chicks by sex
Among the specialists working in large farms, the so-called Japanese way of finding out the sex of the chick is common. Although the accuracy of determination reaches 95%, using this technique without sufficient skill will not work.
Before you determine the rooster or chicken chicken, in the hands, you will have to understand the structure of the genitals in chicks and know their differences.
Males can be separated from females by finding in the anus a genital tubercle, which future chickens do not have:
- First, you should clear the cesspool of baby from traces of feces.
- Then the chicken is taken in the palm, turned over and the legs are spread so that the cesspool of the chick is in the field of view of the researcher.
- The opening should be moved apart, simultaneously pressing down on the abdomen so that the internal structure can be clearly seen.
As in appearance of the cloaca of a chicken, determine whether the rooster or hen is in the hands of the poultry farmer:
- In cesspool chickens, it looks like a neat knot with no visible bulges.
- In males, in most cases, a genital tubercle is found.
Since in the case of careless or unskilled handling, this method threatens with injuries and the penetration of the infection into the genitals of the chickens, only experienced poultry farmers can conduct research. Otherwise, not to avoid disease and the loss of part of the population.
How to distinguish between teenagers chickens?
In the second half of the first month of life, the bird can already be discerned by appearance. First, the gender of the chicken can be determined by the plumage. In chickens, it is formed earlier and more actively than in roosters, but the size of the males already at such a young age may be larger.
In the second or third month, the rooster's decoration of the head becomes visible: a crest and a beard begin to form. At the same age, spurs appear that are not found in young chickens, the shape and length of the tail changes.
Despite the many ways in which chicks can be distinguished by sex, none can provide a 100% guarantee of accuracy. Therefore, people who know a lot about home poultry farming do not rely on only one method, but reinforce their choice with the results of several tests.
The video, how to determine the sex of a chicken, will help you find acceptable ways to get theoretical knowledge in this matter and avoid mistakes when using them in practice.
How to distinguish a chicken from a rooster and how to determine the sex of a chicken
What you learn from this material:
- 1 How to determine the sex of a chicken: features
- 2 How to distinguish a chicken from a rooster at different ages
- 2.1 At day old
- 2.2 At the week of age
- 2.3 At the month (1, 2, 3, 4 months) age
- 3 Methods for determining the sex of a chicken
- 3.1 By size
- 3.2 By feathers and wings
- 3.3 By color
- 3.4 Ventsseksig or Japanese way
- 3.5 Reflex (behavioral) method
- 3.6 By egg
- 3.7 By walking
How to determine the gender of the chicken features
There are a number of ways to determine the sex of the chicken, some of which are carried out a few hours after the chick is born, to check for others it is necessary for an individual to reach a certain age.
Known methods of checking the sex of a bird differ in accuracy, ranging from methods that are 100% reliable to highly controversial folk methods. Do not make a mistake when conducting sexual identification of the chicken can be using several methods of testing with a high degree of reliability of the results.
How to distinguish a chicken from a cock at the age of one week
For roosters at the age of 2-3 weeks, the characteristic features of the growth of the tails are slower compared to the hens;
Note! When visually larger, male individuals among chickens are distinguished by a longer period required for the loss of down.
To distinguish roosters from chickens at the age of 3-4 weeks can be by:
- advance development and weight gain by males compared to females,
- aggressive behavior, manifested in the struggle for a better place in the coop or food,
- a slower change in the layer of fluff compared to layers, in which by 21 days the active covering of the body with fluff begins, the cocks have practically no hair covering.
These methods have a fairly high degree of reliability, but in some cases can not be used because of the peculiarities of the development of chickens of different breeds.
How to distinguish a chicken from a rooster in 1, 2, 3, 4 months
Distinctive signs that allow to distinguish the males from chickens at 1, 2, 3 and 4 months of age as they grow up in the herd:
- at the age of 1.5-2.5 months, the comb and the beard appear in the cockerels, and although the comb also appears in the hens, it is difficult to confuse them due to the small size and yellow tint of the latter,
- in several months, the roosters in the herd can be distinguished by more powerful and long paws,
- at the same time, the males are distinguished by a more round shape and red face color,
By the way! The appearance of the comb in the hen indicates that it belongs to the highly productive breed of quartz.
- at 3 months, male individuals increase the size of the tail, and spurs appear.
Important! In determining the sex of the chicken, it is necessary to pay attention to the color of the comb. In males at the age of 90 days, it is colored bright red, in contrast to the quotus, in which it acquires scarlet shades only during the period of maturation of the reproductive system.
- It is practically not difficult to distinguish a rooster at the age of 4 months, since by this time such individuals have earrings and a large-sized comb, they are distinguished by higher growth and more massive physique.
How to determine the sex of the chicken on feathers and wings
The basis for carrying out the method of determining the sex of a chicken by its wings is the fact that the plumage appears in female individuals earlier, but the chicks of the opposite sex have a wider wingspan and have larger primary feathers.
Practical farmers can use the following method, the reliability of which, according to their claims, is from 65 to 80%.
To find out the sex, the chicken is placed on the arm, after which its wing stands out and straightens, on which all feathers will have a lighter color, the same length and a thick arrangement. In contrast, feathers in chickens will be thinned, having different sizes alternating with each other, with the exception of the first 7 pieces.
Reflex behavioral method
In fact, this method of establishing the sex of a chicken is presented in three ways of determining the motor and behavioral responses of the chick to the actions of the evaluator. These methods are based on the difference in the responses of the sexes to the action of negative factors or disturbing factors.
Note! The advantage of this group of methods is the possibility of using them to determine the sex of chicks at both week and month of age with an equally high degree of reliability of the results.
- The simplest of this group of ways not highly accurate results, is that the chicken is inverted so that his head was turned to the ground. In the event that the chick is trying to look around or to raise its head up, most likely it is a male. If the test individual makes grouping or pulls in the head, then with a high degree of probability it is a chicken.
Important! When using the method, sharp movements should be avoided; when turning, it is necessary to hold the chicken's head to reach the final position.
- Second way provides for the capture of chicks by the scruff of the neck and the rise above the surface of the box to a small height. The results of observation of behavior allow us to distinguish male individuals by the fact that they will hang steeply or look around, unlike chickens, which will attempt to twist their paws to bring them closer to the body.
By the way! A variation of this method is to position the chicken in the palm and turn it up to a horizontal position. If, at the same time, the tested individual strives to pull the head to the stomach, it belongs to the female sex. And although the reliability of this method is not higher than 65%, its use in conjunction with other methods allows you to safely determine the sex of the chick.
- Next method based on the difference in behavioral responses of sexes to emerging stressful situations. To perform it, it is enough to frighten the young brood, while the chickens will begin to cluster or hide on roost. Roosters may first get scared and run, but then, straightening their necks and adopting a protective stance, begin to prepare for repelling aggression.
How to determine the sex of a chicken by egg
There are several different ways to determine the sex of a chicken at the stage of its formation in the egg. To perform them you need:
- Look at the shape of the egg, while the round shape indicates the formation of a hen inside it, and products with a sharp and elongated end show the appearance of a male.
- Taking an egg, place it with a sharp end upward, hold it on the surface with the fingers of your free hand. If the groped surface has a smooth texture, the embryo inside is represented by the female, with elevations and tubercles, the likelihood of the appearance of a rooster is high.
- Enable ovoskop, performing radiography of the internal structure of the products of bird laying. When conducting a study using this device, it is necessary to shift from the sharp part of the egg to the blunt surface before the air chamber appears in the field of view.
Note! The location of the air chamber inside the egg will help determine the sex of the future chick. So, if it is located centrally on the blunt side, a male will be born in the future, if its location is shifted to either side, one should expect the appearance of a hen.
Growing Chickens for Dummies - 10 Difficulties
In October last year, I still managed to bring my family to the village, where chickens in the backyard and many other living creatures lived. After showing the family just hatched chicks, I realized that I won!
I mean, who can resist a fluffy little chick?
So, we brought 3 home with all the necessary equipment and made them a home in the basement. Calling them each by name, we began to take care of them as if they were young dragons in the game of thrones!
Medieval chickens ... delicious or cool?
After about 3 weeks, I convinced everyone that we should bring a couple more chickens - so we did. The whole family was inspired by new pets, and there was no going back. We also learned a few key points in the maintenance of chickens for dummies, which I have to share with everyone who is not familiar with growing chickens in the country, in the garden or in a country house.
Read this carefully before taking the plunge and be careful. Little chickens are all fun and games until the dog eats one of your chickens ...
1 - Get the schemes, plans for the chicken coop and build it. Or just buy!
I didn’t even know anything about growing chickens then, didn’t understand about the comfort of the chicken family and made a spacious box with a door and a window. All from old materials and junk, which was found in the yard. Without spending a penny, and having spent all the stocks of nails. In general, I killed 60 hours of time for this masterpiece! It turned out ugliness.
Lesson learned! You need to buy a house for 5 chickens and save time. And no disappointment from the realization that you probably do not understand the carpentry business or the construction of something.
The first photo in the article is what I wanted to make, and in this photo is what I got. "Blind from what was" ... Tin.
2 - Meet your local chicken expert
Neighbor Vadim Alekseevich and his friendly family-team always gave useful advice, they had invaluable knowledge. Before you spend countless hours searching the Internet for all the rules for raising chickens and keeping chickens, browse different sites, find a local poultry lover and be done with it.
How to determine the sex of the chicken by gait
In order to carry out sexual identification by this method, it is necessary to examine the paws of the chickens, the male individuals differ from the females in wider, longer, and fleshy legs. Differences, determined by walking, are that roosters can be distinguished in the herd by a wide step and raising their paws while walking. Unlike them, young chickens, when moving, raise and lower their paws to the rhythm of their gait.
By the way! It is possible to determine the sex of Orpington and Cochin chickens. by voice.
How to determine the sex of chicken Cochinquin and Orpington by voice
These methods make it possible to conduct sexual identification of newborns and young chickens with varying degrees of reliability. Knowledge of methods for determining the sex of the chick will allow you to avoid mistakes when purchasing hens for updating the herd.
How to determine the sex of the daily chicken
How to distinguish a chicken from a rooster and how to determine the sex of the chicken, we told you. Use several methods at once!
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We wish you every success, and your feathered fluffies - the strongest health, let them please you, turning into big chickens and roosters!
In the comments you can add your photos of laying hens, rooster and chickens!
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Folk ways - how to determine the sex of the chicken
To resolve this issue (how to determine the sex of the chicken) there are several ways. И в этом вопросе народная мудрость нисколько не уступает науке и наравне применяется в практике со всеми научными методами. Итак, рассмотрим их по порядку:
- Один из методов, как определить пол цыпленка, это взять его за загривок и наблюдать, как птенец будет держать свои ножки. A female chick, that is, a hen, will try to twist and claw his claws. But in the individual "men" legs will hang exactly.
- The second method of determining the sex of a chicken is to study its behavior, if you take it by the legs. According to this method, future hens will lift their heads up, and the future rooster will hang peacefully.
- In the presence of an incubator, you can notice the sequence that the first hatched chicks are in most cases chickens, and those that appear later will be males.
- As they mature, the male and female individuals behave differently from each other. If chicks are about three weeks old and more, then in a stressful situation for them, they behave differently according to their sex. If you frighten them, the future cockerels will stand up in defense with their heads high and high. However, the chickens will be pretending to be immobile, they will lower their heads and sit down.
- You can also determine the sex of the chicken by coloring the scallop. In hens it is small and yellowish. Whereas in males it is noticeable better and has a red color. This allows you to sort chicks with great accuracy.
- By the color of the fluff, you can also identify male and female chickens. Chickens of various colored breeds have peculiar patches on the head or stripes, but for the rooster chickens these distinctive signs are absent. Another sign is the plumage. It is very easy to determine the sex of the chickens, the roosters fledge later than the chickens.
Ventseksig or Japanese method
This method of determination was developed in the first half of the twentieth century in Japan. It consists in inspecting day-old chicks for the appearance of the cloaca and finding the genital tubercle on its inner wall, because it differs significantly in size and shape in chickens and cockerels. At the moment, this method is widely used in world-wide poultry production. At the same time, statistics show that this method allows determining by highly skilled operators with a great experience the sex of a young chicken with an accuracy of 92-96%., And the speed of work is up to 600-800 individuals per hour.
The disadvantage of ventsexing is the possibility of infection of individuals with intestinal microflora, as well as injury.
This method is recommended to be carried out in the intervals six to sixteen hours after hatching of chicks, then in individuals, the sexual characteristics are already beginning to smooth out and it is much more difficult to identify the hen or rooster.
The complete cycle of sex determination consists in the following procedures: taking a chick, assessing conditionality, emptying the contents of its rectum and then opening the cloaca of an individual. Then all the chicks are distributed in separate boxes depending on their sex. To cleanse the rectum should be the thumb, index and middle fingers of the hand in which the chick is squeezed in the abdomen and on the sides. Then, holding it in his hand, turn his head upside down, then grab the legs with the other hand and pinch them between the middle and index fingers. There is no need to squeeze the chick too much, as this will complicate the inspection.
Correct disclosure of cloaca is the most important point in determining the identity of the chick. Having fixed an individual in such a position, it is necessary to carefully turn the inner wall of the cloaca outside to the side of the abdomen. On the surface of this section, the males will have a genital tubercle that the chickens will not have.
Cytogenetic method
This method is based on determining the sex of a day-old chicken based on the karyotype of fast-acting pulp cells. In males, the Z-sex chromosome is the longest metacentric of the karyotype, but in chickens 10 times smaller than the W, the chromosome is a submeta-centric. By the number of Z-chromosomes, the sex of an individual can be determined by examining mitosis of pulp cells by the cytogenetic method. If the chromosome is onethen it is a hen, if there are two chromosomes, then this indicates a male field.
Molecular genetic method
In this method lies the possibility of determining sex using blot-hybridization of blood DNA with a specific primer. The sex of a young individual is determined with accuracy both by analyzing samples of purified DNA and when studying whole bloodwashed red blood cells. However, the molecular genetic method is expensive and time consuming.
