Ways to Tell a

White Scribbled Underline

ROOSTER

9

From a Hen

HEN

People tell us stories all the time about how they thought they were raising hens, but some of their birds ended up being roosters.

CHECK CHICK VENTS

Male vents will have a small bump that indicates the formation of male genitalia. If there’s no bump, your chick is likely a hen.

CHECK THEIR WINGS

If you look at a chick and it has wing feathers growing in at just a few days old, then it’s likely a hen or pullet.

THE TAIL IS A FANTASTIC TELL!

When mature, roosters have tails that extend way up and out, curling down toward the ground while hen tail feathers almost look stubby.

BEHAVIORAL DIFFERENCES

Roosters will typically be more aggressive. They’ll stand at the front of a group of birds with the hens behind them.