The Age-Old Question: Hen or Roo?

One of the daily questions I get is, 'Is my chick a hen or roo?'. While I try to answer inquiries as quickly as possible, it can sometimes be difficult to determine, especially depending on your chick's age. Sexing young chickens can be tricky—especially when dealing with our unique breeds that are all not sexable at hatch. 

---

I recommend not trying to sex your grow-outs until at least 3 month of age, as some individual chicks or grow outs can have occasional traits that trick you into thinking they are the opposite sex.

---

Skip to the breed you're looking for:

• Hmong

• Polish

• Evergreen Eggers (multi-gen Olive Eggers)

• Fibro Easter Eggers 

Hmong

Hmong chickens are darker-skinned fibro (fibromelanosis), fast-growing, and sometimes trickier to sex early because color changes in the comb aren’t as obvious. Here’s what to look for:

Comb and Body Development (Mulberry/Fibro Skin)

• Cockerels:

  • Comb thickens early but may not redden much.

  • Peaks or ridges become more pronounced by weeks.

  • Typically larger bodied.

• Pullets:

  • Comb stays low, flat, and smooth.

  • Minimal swelling and no early rise.

  • Smaller, more compact body.

Feathers

• Cockerels:

  • Slower wing and back feathering.

  • Pointed saddle and hackle feathers begin showing around 10–12 weeks.

  • Longer tail earlier compared to pullets.

• Pullets:

  • More even/consistent feather development.

  • Rounded saddle and neck feathers.

Legs & Body Build

• Cockerels: Thick, heavy legs with a strong stance; upright posture.

• Pullets: Slimmer legs and a more rounded body.

Behavior

• Cockerels: Alert posture, possible early crow attempts. Hmongs are typically very docile, so dominance is rarely seen in young grow-outs.

• Pullets: More flock-oriented and calmer.

Polish

Polish are one of the most difficult breeds to sex early due to their crests—but those crests eventually become your biggest clue.

Crest Shape

This is the most reliable sign to help determine sex.

• Cockerels:

  • Wild, messy, spiky crest feathers (“punk rock” look).

  • Feathers often point outward instead of down.

• Pullets:

  • Round, tight, pom-pom style crests.

  • Feathers fall neatly around the head.

Comb & Wattles

Note: Combs and wattles may not be obvious due to our lines having beards and muffs.

• Cockerels: Earlier wattle growth and pink/red tones by 6–10 weeks. Very obvious and larger wattles around 10 weeks compared to pullets.

• Pullets: Stay pale and small much longer.

Feathers

• Cockerels: May show pointed hackle and saddle feathers around 12+ weeks.

• Pullets: Soft, rounded feathers throughout, but some saddle feathers may look pointed compared to other breeds.

Legs & Body Shape

• Cockerels: Taller, more upright posture.

• Pullets: Lower center of gravity, more compact.

Behavior

• Polish can be skittish in general, but:

  • Cockerels often watchful and bold.

  • Pullets stick close to the flock.

Evergreen Eggers (Olive Eggers)

Our multi-generation Evergreen Eggers are influenced by a few select breeds, however with the goal focusing on peacombs and partridge and wheaten feather colours, this makes sexing moderately easy compared to our other breeds.

Comb Development

• Cockerels:

  • Thicker, more pronounced pea comb or straight comb with early pinking (5–8 weeks).

  • Overall larger comb size compared to pullets.

• Pullets:

  • Low, narrow, pale combs that stay small.

Feathers

• Cockerels:

  • Darker feather colours starting at around 5 weeks, including dark breast feathers

  • Often slower feathering on the shoulders and back.

  • Pointed saddle and hackle feathers show 10–14 weeks.

• Pullets:

  • Ligher feather colours with more even-toned feather colours throughout their body.

  • Round feather tips and smoother overall feathering.

Legs & Body Shape

• Cockerels: Thick legs, upright stance.

• Pullets: Slender legs, rounder silhouette.

Behavior

• Cockerels: Confident, dominant, may chest-bump, and tend to crow earlier than other breeds

• Pullets: Social, quieter, less confrontational.

Fibro Easter Eggers

Our Fibro Easter Eggers are our newest project breed, and have proved very difficult to sex until almost 4-5 months of age. This line includes pea combs and most have fibro traits (dark skin), similar to Hmong. Both of these traits greatly affect how early they can be sexed, as pullet and cockerels are almost identical in their first few months of development. It's highly recommended to wait to sex them at least until 4 months of age.

Comb and Skin Development

• Cockerels:

  • Comb thickens earlier even if color doesn’t brighten.

  • May show swelling or “three-row” structure by 10 weeks.

  • Skin color makes reddening almost impossible to see. Occasionally you will see roosters develop more of a mulberry coloured comb.

• Pullets:

  • Very subtle combs that stay pale or dark with minimal growth.

Feathers

• Cockerels:

  • Slower to feather the shoulders/back.

  • Pointy hackle/saddle feathers appear 10–13 weeks.

  • Pattern variations (like penciling) may appear sharper.

  • More prone to colour leakage (browns, silvers) on their wings or necks.

• Pullets:

  • Rounded feathers, softer and more even patterning.

Legs & Body Shape

• Cockerels: Thicker legs, bigger frame, upright posture.

• Pullets: More compact, lower-frame, smaller legs.

Behavior

• Cockerels: Curious, may display early dominance or protectiveness.

• Pullets: Flock-focused, quieter, more consistent behaviour.

To Conclude

Due to the overwhleming amount of questions I get regarding sexing, I am choosing not to help determine sex until they are at least 3 months of age (4 for Fibro Easter Eggers). I apoligize if this may be frustrating, but I never want to mislead anyone if my guess is incorrect.

While I'm always happy to help you determine if you have a pullet or a cockerel, time is going to be your friend to really know who is a cockerel or pullet in your flocks.

I'm happy to help if you're still unsure; you can always send me clear photos of your bird’s that are a minimum of 3 months showing:

• Comb (front and side)

• Legs

• Full-body side profile

• Tail area

• Crest (for Polish)

• If possible, a side by side of your grow-outs of the same breed.