Chickens can be raised for eggs or meat. In the first case, it is preferable to contain chickens, in the second - cockerels. Therefore, when buying chickens at a poultry farm or market, it is advisable to be able to determine their gender. Yes, and the owners, hatching young animals in incubators, it will probably be interesting to immediately know how many chickens and how many cockerels will walk around the yard in the near future. Further, in all details, we will figure out how to determine the sex of the chicken correctly.
Grandma's way
The surest way to determine the sex of a chicken is to examine its wings. At the age of two to three days in males they are usually a bit lighter than in chickens. Later, the color of the pen aligns.
There is another fairly reliable way by which our ancestors determined the sex of chickens. In order to find out whether it is a chicken or a cockerel, you need to slightly pull out the baby's wing, straighten it and carefully consider it. Pay attention to the first few feathers. The chickens fledge before the cockerels. This will help determine the gender. 6-7 primary feathers in “girls” are longer and thicker than paired ones covering them. Visually, it looks like an alternation of short and long feathers. A completely different picture is observed in males. On the drawn winglet, the feather and cover feathers, absolutely equal in height, located in an even row, will be visible.
The easiest way
Most often, homeowners determine the sex of chickens as follows:
- the chick is neatly taken by the paws;
- turn it upside down.
If the chicken pulls its head into the shoulders at the same time, then it’s a chicken, if it pulls it and starts to turn it with it - a cockerel.
This method is very simple, but unfortunately not very reliable. The head, for example, depending on the mood, can be pulled in by a cockerel and a chicken. To find out how many “girls” are in the brood, and how many “boys” are thus only possible approximately.
Industrial way
Next, let's look at how to determine the gender of the chicken in the so-called Japanese way. In the Land of the Rising Sun, it is usually used in large industrial enterprises. The method is quite complicated, but at the same time very accurate. Sex can be determined in this way at the age of chickens from 6-7 hours, and no later than 18 hours in meat breeds and 15 hours in egg breeds. The procedure in this case will be as follows:
- The chicks are carefully taken in the left hand and pressed on the tummy, removing feces.
- Then, holding the legs, the chicken is turned upside down.
- The fingers of the right hand gently stretch the cloaca, slightly twisting it from the abdomen.
At the cockerel a small genital tubercle will be visible inside. Chickens have no such education.
The terms indicated above, when using this method, must be observed. The chicks that were born less than 6 hours ago are still weak and loose, and therefore, upon examination, they can damage their cesspool. After 15-18 hours, characteristic folds appear in the chickens, and sexing in this way becomes impossible.
Big chicks
The question of how to determine the sex of the chicken in the event that he was already more than two to three weeks old is not particularly difficult. In older chicks, this can be done simply by examining the plumage. In chickens, fluff disappears a little earlier than in males. It is also not too difficult to know the gender and size of the chick. "Girls" are usually smaller than "boys." You can also look at the scallops of chickens. In males, they are usually slightly larger and brighter.
How to determine the gender of a chicken in an egg
Experienced owners of household plots note the fact that when breeding chickens in incubators it often happens that the yield of males is 80-90%. Of course, it’s unlikely that the owners of the breeders will be able to raise eggs. Therefore, it is important to learn how to determine the sex of chickens before birth - before filling the incubator. It would seem that the task is impossible. However, apparently, this is not entirely true.
Some farmers abroad believe that determining the sex of the future chicken in the egg is not so difficult. As far as the method which will be considered below is accurate, we do not undertake to judge. However, perhaps someone will be interested in his description. So, to determine the sex of the chicken by shell, you need:
- Take the egg in the right hand with the sharp end up.
- Swipe left on top of it.
If small tubercles and a ring are felt at the sharp end, it means that most likely a cockerel will hatch from the egg. If the top is absolutely smooth - a chicken.
Sex determination using an ovoscope
This method also raises some doubts. However, trying to use it will not hurt in any case. It consists in scanning the eggs with an ovoscope in the direction from the sharp end to the blunt. In this case, the air chamber becomes noticeable. If it is located strictly in the center from the sharp end, it means that a cockerel will hatch from the egg. If the camera is slightly shifted to the side - the chicken.
Hybrids
When breeding hybrid chickens, the answer to the question of how to distinguish chickens by gender is often very simple. Crosses are currently displayed just a huge amount. At the same time, in many hybrids, chickens of different sexes have different colors of fluff. Sometimes chickens or males have “identification” spots or stripes on their backs or wings.
Incubating Chicks: Preparing
In order for the egg to be most suitable for incubation, the hens should be well and properly fed. Layers must be given meat waste, and fish oil, chalk, flour, and a preparation to increase egg production should be added to the headers. It is very good to feed the yogurt bird daily. In this case, the chickens from the incubator will come out healthy and strong.
You can lay only clean, smooth, devoid of cracks and notches, as well as growths and cavities of the egg. Also, they should not be too large (two-yolk) or very small.
Incubation periods
In order for such an operation, as independent breeding of chickens, to succeed, certain rules should be followed at all stages. There are only three incubation periods :
- initial (from the 1st to the 11th day);
- intermediate (from the 12th to the 18th day);
- final (from the 19th to the 20-21st day).
In the initial period, eggs should warm up best. It is not allowed to lower the temperature in the incubator below 39 degrees. Also, for the successful development of embryos, increased humidity is required. Short-term cooling starts from the end of the 6th day. Do it for 5 minutes. once a day.
In the intermediate period, the temperature is reduced to +38.5 degrees. Cool eggs for 10-15 minutes a day. In the final period, the air temperature in the incubator should be equal to 38 degrees. At this time, it is very important to increase humidity. To do this, you can put a tub of water inside the incubator. Cooling and turns in this period stop.
Hatching
Chicks come out of eggs on the 20-21st day. Laying chickens usually hatch stronger and more viable than broilers. However, certain rules of care must be followed equally carefully for the breed in any direction of productivity.
In the incubator, the babies are left until the pen is completely dry. Then they need to be transplanted into the box, ensuring heating to at least 32-35 degrees. The incubator should be peeled, washed and disinfected. Two days later, the chicks are transplanted into cells, reducing the temperature to 28-29 degrees. Chickens from the incubator, if all the rules have been followed, come out healthy and viable.
How to buy daily chicks
The independent withdrawal of chickens is a rather troublesome affair. Therefore, often private traders prefer to simply purchase them at a market or poultry farm. One-day-old chickens, the price of which is very low (about 40-50 rubles per unit, depending on the breed), do not differ in special endurance. Especially broilers. Lunge, compared with five-day, in this case is usually quite large. To reduce losses, when buying, you should pay attention to such factors:
- Chickens must be active and alive.
- The umbilical cord at the daily chicks is already fully tightened. Buying babies with discharge from it is not worth it.
- Chickens should eat well.
In compliance with the above recommendations, very healthy and viable daily chickens can be acquired. The price of them is determined primarily by the breed, and it will be very disappointing if expensive broiler or rare chicks die in a couple of days. Therefore, the choice should be taken seriously. Well, of course, it is worth determining the gender of each chicken purchased. The easiest way is to use the first method described in the article. That is, inspect the wings of babies.
Food for broilers and laying hens
The diet of chicks is very different from the menu of adult chickens. The first few days, the kids are traditionally given a boiled chopped egg, cottage cheese and millet. Recently, however, many homeowners have refused this method, considering the first two products for chicks to be unnatural food. Perhaps boiled eggs and cottage cheese should be replaced with a special “Start” compound feed for hatched chickens. When buying it, you should pay attention to what kind of productivity it is intended for the breed. There is a special feed for broiler chickens and for laying hens. Give the chicks this composition up to two weeks of age.