Can someone help me understand hackle feathers and saddle feathers??

[PunkinPeep]

I'm posting in this section because this is where it always comes up - telling girls from boys. Please forgive me if i should've posted elsewhere.

I simply can't figure out where exactly the hackle feathers and saddle feathers are, and i can't find any pointy feathers on my cockerels.

My rir cockerels are 13 weeks old. Is it because they won't have pointy ones yet?

When do they get pointy feathers?

Any help, pictures, details explanations, diagrams, lectures, anything, please, would be very helpful for my understanding.

Thanks!

 

[Chris09]

I found this on the net. and it might help...

I believe that the 'pointy' feathers of the hackle and saddle is produced by a male hormone. Some times in breeds like the Campines, Hamburghs, Sebrights, and Henny Game the roosters can have a Hf
(Henny Feathering) gene but RIR's shouldn't have it..
Sometimes it takes a little longer to tell.. I know my RIR's are close to 3 1/2 months old till I can tell for shore. ( The line of RIR's I have mature real slow)...

Chris

 

[PortageGirl]

Here is a pretty decent diagram in the BYC Learning Center. Keep in mind, different breeds can easily be pretty different than this. It's just a general diagram. Got into a wrangle with someone who swore that a EE we saw couldn't be a roo because he had tiny little wattles and a small comb, even though he clearly had rooster sickles and hackle feathers. LOL There's some breeds I just stare at because I can't quite figure out all the oddities, still this is a good diagram.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-anatomy.html

 

[Laney]

They aren't extremely pointy. However, when compared to a hen, you can see the difference between the rounded bottom of a Hen's hackle (lower neck/shoulder) and a Roosters. A Hen's will be rounded like the end of a Spoon. In a hen with a multi-colored feather you won't always notice it as rounded until you lift one feather off another and look at it with your finger under it for background. (Such as in a laced breed)

The Rooster will have a pointed feather, it will be thinner than a hens and come to a slight point at the end instead of a rounded end like a spoon. So if you lift the feather up and see a point instead of a completely rounded feather, you have a rooster. Sometimes you can't tell if there is a pattern on the feathers, or with them laying against each other.

Laney

 

[PunkinPeep]

I think that helps. My rir boys matured REALLY fast, and i know they're male. But i want to use them to help me familiarize myself so i can be more knowledgeable in recognizing traits in breeds that aren't so obvious.

Thanks for all your help and diagram and explanations! I really really appreciate you lending me your knowledge!

 

[catdaddyfro]

Just thought this may help also the male sex feathers(hackles, saddle, wing bows, and sickles) besides being pointed usually are more shiney than the body feathers.

And the pointy feathers usually start coming in around 12 to 16 wks. on average, some sooner some later.

catdaddy

 

[ColoradoPeeps]

My guess is Roo based on pointy saddle feathers...but its just a guess as I am VERY new to all of this

 

[Fudgie]

Hackle feathers are the pointy neck feathers, Saddle feathers are the feathers towards the rear that turn downwards toward their bumm.

 

[PunkinPeep]

What makes them pointy? I couldn't find any pointy ones.

 

[Cats Critters]

Hackles are right around the neck if you see roosters going to fight they puff them up. Saddle feathers are the weird dangling feathers by the tail.