How to Tell a Rooster's Age

Roosters are male chickens and can live for up to 15 years. The main way of determining a rooster's age during the first couple of years of life is by measuring their spurs. Afterward, it is almost impossible to find the exact age. Thus, roosters are mainly classified as either juvenile or adult when it comes to lifespan discussions. Juvenile roosters are also known as cockerels. If you are a farmer looking to buy roosters, be sure to examine their spurs before whipping out your checkbook. You don't want to be swindled into buying a dozen roosters with only a few years left to crow.

Things You'll Need

• Ruler

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Catch and examine the rooster in question.

   • 2

     Locate the bird's spurs. These are bony and conical points found on the inside legs of an adult, or sexually mature, rooster. They are mainly used as a weapon by the bird. .

   • 3

     Use a ruler to measure the spurs. This is a general rule for determining the rooster's age for up to 2 years. If the spur is blunt and less than 3/4 inch in length, the bird is less than a year old and considered a juvenile. An adult rooster, 2 years in age or older, will have a 3/4-inch or longer spur. The spurs of a rooster reach their full size once the bird is about 8 months of age