Watch Their Behavior

As chicks grow older, another non-invasive way to determine their genders is to keep a close eye on their behavior. There are certain behaviors that are very unlikely in female chicks. These include fighting and giving humans what some farmers like to call “the stink eye.”

Early signs of fighting among chicks can include several different things. Flying directly into one another or slamming into each other’s chests -think of football players bumping chests on the field – are two examples. Incessant amounts of pecking or kicking at each other are others.


 If you notice your young chicks doing any of these things, it’s not likely that your chicks are female. Of course, this is not a 100% guaranteed way to accurately sex a chicken. Every now and then you’ll come across an aggressive female that likes to fight. However, it’s rare. So if you do have chicks fighting, they’re probably males.

The stink eye is another trait common to male chicks as opposed to females. This is when a chick looks you directly in the eye, often cocking its head. This is bold behavior not usually seen from females. If you have baby chicks that do this, they’re probably male.

Other male chick’s behaviors include ruffling feathers at other chicks, being first to the food and cooing at female chicks.

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