How Do You Tell the Sex of a Chicken? 8 Foolproof Methods That Actually Work

Have you ever purchased what you thought were “all pullets” only to wake up one morning to the unmistakable sound of “cock-a-doodle-doo”? Trust me I’ve been there! After raising chickens for several years on my small homestead, I’ve gotten pretty good at figuring out whether I’m dealing with hens or roosters before that first crow or egg.

Whether you live within city limits that prohibit roosters, already have enough male birds in your flock, or simply prefer the egg-laying capabilities of hens, knowing how to determine the sex of your chickens is an essential skill for any backyard chicken keeper.

In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share the most reliable methods to tell whether your fluffy little chicks will grow up to be egg-laying hens or crowing roosters. These techniques have saved me from many awkward conversations with neighbors about noise complaints!

When Can You Start Sexing Chickens?

Before diving into the methods, it’s important to understand the timeline. While professional chicken sexers can identify gender in day-old chicks with about 90% accuracy, most of us backyard chicken keepers will need to wait a bit longer

You can start making educated guesses around 10-12 weeks when distinguishing characteristics begin to develop. By 16-20 weeks, the differences become much more obvious as the birds approach maturity.

For this article, I’ll focus primarily on identifying juvenile chickens (cockerels and pullets) since that’s when most of us really start wondering what we’ve got!

8 Reliable Methods to Determine the Sex of Your Chickens

1. Check the Comb and Wattles Development

This is one of the earliest and most reliable indicators I’ve found. The comb (on top of the head) and wattles (hanging from the neck) develop differently between males and females:

Cockerels (Young Roosters):

• Combs and wattles develop earlier, sometimes as young as 8 weeks
• Turn bright red much sooner
• Grow larger and more pronounced even in juvenile birds

Pullets (Young Hens):

• Combs and wattles remain small and pale pink until about 5-6 months
• Develop more slowly and stay smaller even when mature
• Only really start to develop as they approach laying age

I’ve found this method to be about 85% accurate in my flock. When I see bright red, prominent combs on 12-week-old chickens, they’ve almost always turned out to be roosters.

2. Examine the Tail Feathers

Around 8-10 weeks, you can start looking at the tail feathers:

Cockerels:

• Develop long, curved sickle feathers
• Tail feathers are more pointed
• Saddle feathers (where back meets tail) are long and pointy

Pullets:

• No sickle feathers
• Tail feathers are shorter and more rounded
• Saddle feathers are rounded and soft

When my chickens were about 3 months old, I noticed some had these distinctive arching tail feathers starting to grow – yep, all roosters! The ones with more modest, rounded tail feathers were my future egg layers.

3. Look at the Hackle Feathers

Hackle feathers are those around the neck:

Cockerels:

• Develop long, pointy hackle feathers
• Often more colorful and iridescent
• Can look almost like a mane

Pullets:

• Hackle feathers are rounded at the tips
• Generally less showy
• More uniform in appearance

I’ll admit this one can be tricky to spot in younger birds, but becomes more obvious as they mature.

4. Compare Leg Size and Development

By about 12 weeks, you can often see differences in the legs:

Cockerels:

• Thicker, sturdier legs
• Larger feet
• Often stand taller

Pullets:

• More delicate, thinner legs
• Smaller feet
• Generally more petite stance

I’ve noticed this especially when comparing birds of the same breed and age – the males almost always have noticeably thicker legs.

5. Check for Spurs

Spurs are those pointy protrusions that grow from the back of the leg:

Cockerels:

• Begin developing spurs around 3-4 months
• Continue to grow and harden with age
• Usually prominent by 6 months

Pullets:

• Generally don’t develop spurs
• Some older hens may develop small spurs, but this is less common

Though I should mention, I do have one particularly feisty hen who developed small spurs around age 2 – exceptions always exist!

6. Observe Behavior and Temperament

While not 100% reliable, behavior can offer clues:

Cockerels:

• More aggressive and assertive
• Often stand taller with puffed chest
• May start practicing mating behaviors
• More likely to challenge other chickens
• Generally more active and “busy”

Pullets:

• Usually calmer and less confrontational
• More likely to form social groups
• Less likely to challenge the pecking order
• Often more docile when handled

My young roosters were always the troublemakers – running around, starting squabbles, and generally causing chaos in the coop!

7. Wing Feather Development (For Very Young Chicks)

If you’re trying to sex very young chicks (1-2 days old), you can try wing feather sexing:

Cockerels:

• Wing feathers of roughly the same length
• More uniform development

Pullets:

• Wing feathers show varying lengths
• Primary and secondary feathers develop at different rates

To check, gently extend the wing and look at the pattern of feather growth. This method works best on day-old chicks and becomes less reliable after a few days.

8. The Definitive Test: Crowing or Egg Laying

And finally, the foolproof method – just wait and see!

Cockerels:

• Begin crowing between 10-24 weeks (I’ve had some start as early as 8 weeks!)
• The crow is unmistakable (though some hens can occasionally make similar sounds)
• Will NEVER lay eggs

Pullets:

• Begin laying eggs around 18-24 weeks depending on breed
• May sing an “egg song” (different from crowing)
• Will definitely never crow like a rooster

What About Professional Sexing Methods?

If you’re purchasing chicks from a hatchery, they often use these professional methods:

Vent Sexing

This involves examining the vent (cloaca) of day-old chicks to look for subtle differences in the genital eminence. It’s approximately 90% accurate but requires professional training to perform correctly. Don’t try this at home unless you’ve been properly trained, as it can injure the chicks if done incorrectly.

Auto-Sexing or Sex-Link Breeds

Some chicken breeds are “auto-sexing” or “sex-link,” meaning male and female chicks have different down colors or patterns at hatching. For example:

• Rhode Island Red males often hatch with light spots on their heads
• Black Sex-Link chicks show distinct color differences between males and females
• Cream Legbar chicks show different stripe patterns based on gender

These breeds make it much easier to determine gender right from hatching.

Sexing Myths You Should Ignore

I’ve heard all kinds of old wives’ tales about sexing chickens that simply don’t work:

• Egg shape: The shape of an egg does not determine the sex of the chick inside
• Dangling a string over the egg: This is pure superstition
• Head shape: Not reliable in most breeds
• The direction a chick moves its head: Complete myth

What to Do If You End Up With Unwanted Roosters

It happens to the best of us! If you discover you have roosters you can’t keep, consider:

1. Contacting the hatchery – Some will offer refunds if sexed chicks were guaranteed
2. Rehoming – Farm sanctuaries, other chicken keepers, or small farms may take them
3. Keeping one – If regulations allow, a single rooster can protect your flock and fertilize eggs
4. Processing – Some chicken keepers raise roosters for meat

Final Thoughts

Determining the sex of chickens gets easier with experience. I’ve gotten better at spotting the subtle differences with each batch of chicks I’ve raised. While no method is 100% accurate (except waiting for eggs or crowing), combining several of these techniques will give you a pretty good idea of what you’re working with.

Remember that different breeds develop at different rates, and there are always exceptions to the rules. That sweet little pullet with the tiny comb might surprise you with a mighty crow one morning!

Have you had success with any of these methods? Or maybe you’ve discovered your own foolproof way to tell hens from roosters? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below!

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This article is based on my personal experience raising chickens over the past 5 years and information from reputable poultry resources. Always consult with a veterinarian or poultry specialist for specific concerns about your flock.

You can tell if a chicken is male or female by observing physical traits like comb and wattle size, feather shape (pointy in males, rounded in females), and the presence of sickle and hackle feathers. In adult chickens, spurs on the legs indicate a male, and their unique crowing behavior is a tell-tale sign, whereas females will eventually lay eggs.