Color sexing buckeye, new hampshire, buff Orpington.

[Dinoroar]

I just hatched some buckeye chicks and several sources have them listed as auto-sexable by color.
From cackle hatchery :
“
Buckeye, New Hampshire & Buff Orpington Chickens

Males have a white or cream-colored spot on each upper wing.

Females have either a dark spot on the head or dorsal stripes along the back.”

https://www.cacklehatchery.com/22-autosex-breeds-of-chickens-and-geese/

And this article in country side magazine:

https://backyardpoultry.iamcountryside.com/chickens-101/how-to-tell-the-sex-of-baby-chicks/

“Both New Hampshires and Buff Orpingtons produce buff-colored chicks. If one closely observes these chicks it will be noticed that the male chicks will have off-white streaks in the down color at the upper wing joints. Female chicks will often have a brown or black spot on their heads, or even hints of brown lines on their backs. I have found this true for my Buckeye chicks as well, though they are richer in down color.”

I’m planning on trying it in my chicks once they finish fluffing but curious if
anyone here has experience color sexing relevant breeds. Any Images, links, experiences are appreciated. Thanks

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I don't have any pictures or links beyond what you've already posted, but I also recently heard of this being a thing and I'm definitely interested in seeing if it works well for your chicks!

 

[Dinoroar]

I don't have any pictures or links beyond what you've already posted, but I also recently heard of this being a thing and I'm definitely interested in seeing if it works well for your chicks!

The article seems overall well informed and one would think cackle hatchery would be as well but I’m suspicious it’s not reliable as there doesn’t seem to be much evidence of actual use. Long ago I had some barred rock chicks. They were pretty easy to color sex by head spots. I seem to remember finding lots of pictures and descriptions of what to look for.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Yeah, it's weird, until recently I'd never heard of the coloration having any autosexing capabilities. But, you're totally right, I wouldn't think that Cackle would make such a claim unfounded.

I did find this thread about bantam Buckeyes and their potential for autosexing and it looks like it worked well on them, though not 100%: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/red-columbian-autosexing-potential-an-experiment.1308689/ No chick pictures there, either, though.

 

[Dinoroar]

Yeah, it's weird, until recently I'd never heard of the coloration having any autosexing capabilities. But, you're totally right, I wouldn't think that Cackle would make such a claim unfounded.

I did find this thread about bantam Buckeyes and their potential for autosexing and it looks like it worked well on them, though not 100%: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/red-columbian-autosexing-potential-an-experiment.1308689/ No chick pictures there, either, though.

Thanks, I hadn’t found that one. It seems like the auto sexing may be something that has to be bred for to make it reliably easy to tell.

This article it talking about new hampshire and Rhode Island reds, it says the variation in wing spots makes it tricky to implement.

https://poultry.extension.org/articles/poultry-management/sexing-day-old-chicks/

“The Rhode Island Red and New Hampshire breeds can be sexed by wing color at hatching. Male chicks have a white spot on the down over the wing web. This spot is lost when the chick down is shed and replaced with feathers. However, there is considerable normal variation in the size of the spot, so sexing in this way is not always accurate.”

Meanwhile this

From
https://www.wikihow.com/Sex-Rhode-Island-Red-Chicks

Is the closest I’ve found to a photo of the wing spot I’m supposed to be looking for

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I'd swear I saw a photo comparing a pullet and cockerel, I believe Buff Orpingtons, back when I first heard about this, but I cannot for the life of me find it now! Kicking myself for not watching the thread it was posted on!



I did find more reference to the phenomenon in another thread, though. This post, almost to the end of it, the last big paragraph, talks about it: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-does-the-autosexing-gene-work.1308092/#post-21329747

I have been reading the book they're referring to in chunks, it's been an enlightening read into chicken genetics. Haven't quite gotten to this part yet, though! I skipped ahead to the pages referenced and there is a drawing showing the different sizes and locations of the white spots on Rhode Island Reds, not sure if that's much help, either: http://reader.library.cornell.edu/docviewer/digital?id=chla2837819#page/210/mode/1up (Hopefully that link works! )

 

[Dinoroar]

It does work! I’ll give that and the thread a read before my attempt!

 

[Dinoroar]

@nicalandia maybe you can help us here. Trying to determine if buckeyes are in fact autosexing or if Cackle hatchery has them listed as such in error.

In the thread @pipdzipdnreadytogo linked above you mention buckeyes aren’t known to be auto sexing due to their wheaten based down. So would you think cackle’s info is erroneous?

Thanks for any help

 

[Dinoroar]

@SheaLoner, I just saw you had a thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/cackle-article-claims-nh-and-rir-autosexing.1512491/from February on this same thing, also some discussion on @Tre3hugger’s thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-attempt-at-a-dual-purpose-heritage-flock.1489689/page-13

I think I’m gleaning that it is possible for these breeds to be color sexable but the trait has to be kept up with through specific breeding. If that’s the case seems like cackle should add a caveat to their including them in their list.

 

[SheaLoner]

@SheaLoner, I just saw you had a thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/cackle-article-claims-nh-and-rir-autosexing.1512491/from February on this same thing, also some discussion on @Tre3hugger’s thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-attempt-at-a-dual-purpose-heritage-flock.1489689/page-13

I think I’m gleaning that it is possible for these breeds to be color sexable but the trait has to be kept up with through specific breeding. If that’s the case seems like cackle should add a caveat to their including them in their list.

I have a run of NHs coming from Freedom Ranger next week. I will be marking them and taking photos to see if the trait is still there.