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

[TLWR]

I know this is an old thread, but it popped up when I was searching on hackle feathers.

I'm still not sure of my polish chicken. It's polish hatch mate (same polish pen, not sure if they have 1 or 2 roosters with the girls) has been making a racket for at least 6 weeks and crowing really well for 3 or 4 of those weeks.
They are 12.5 weeks old.

Rooster boy started getting hackle and saddle feathers several weeks ago. The other one I'm just not sure about still.
He has what look a bit like hackle feathers, but when I look at them, the feather isn't pointy, just the color. But they aren't all fluffy like the rooster yet either. He might have a saddle feather. But again, not like the rooster did and right now, it is just one droopy feather.

So hackle feathers... is it really a pointy feather or does it look pointy until you look at that one feather and the ends really are rounded?

 

[Jewellan]

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

Thanks for the time frame. I wondered when the Saddle feathers started showing up.

 

[Joplus]

I just searched this for info about my blue ameraucanas. They are my trickiest. My others had distinct combs by about 10 weeks. These ameraucanas all look identical but possibly I can tell by the feathers. My others were rir, buff o, and bcm.

 

[Orpie]

Anyone wanna take a gander at this one?

 

[Orpie]

Anyone wanna take a gander at this one?

 

[8machines]

here's two ends of 6 week old chicks. The one on the right is a boy right,besides his red comb?

 

[heavenhomestead]

What kind of rooster is that up top with the light coloring and the blackish tail feathers?

 

[Loriwellman]

this pic I was told hen....

This pic I was told they don't know..


Same chicken. Is it a rooster or a hen?

 

[Cstratt2]

Anyone wanna take a gander at this one?

Definitely a roo!



This is my Buffy. He is about 4/5 months old

 

[Loriwellman]

what about him?