how to feather sex chicks?

[cowman910]

hi i was wondering how to feather sex chicks if you can include pics that would be great!
thanks,
mike

 

[willkatdawson]

Kind of a long video but there is a close up of the feathers that the workers use to identify male from female. I had 4 chicks and used this method. It works. On day one I knew I had 2 females and 2 males. The older they get the harder it is to tell.

 

[aalbury]

Oh Em gee. So rough looking. Mine are handled like glass! Maybe I could relax a touch eh?

One of mine has all long, but 2 - only 2 shorter ones....still a boy?

 

[GardeNerd]

My understanding is feather sexing only works accurately when they are cross breed to be feather sexed. It is a sex-linked trait. A slow feathering variety crossed to a fast feathering variety is necessary. The chicks have to be 1 to 3 days old.

Here is some good info and a slide show on how it is done.
http://animalsciences.missouri.edu/reprod/ReproTech/Feathersex/index.htm

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGP/Sex-links/BRKFeathSex.html

 

[greathorse]

That is correct it does not always work the genetics must be in place. Not 100% sure it is a sex link. The breeds that are sexable may breed true but I dont think so. Someone will know. I think it is a sex link as well

 

[19hhbelgian]

Ok... That was interesting, but now I know I'll never buy any chickens from a commercial hatchery! I can't believe they don't hurt the chicks - it looks so rough. Of course DH thought it looked like oodles of fun to be one of those chicks

Is this the only easy way to sex the chicks, or is there a way to sex chicks that aren't cross bred the correct way?

 

[greathorse]

Yes there is vent sexing but the number of people that can do that with any degree of accruacy is very limited. It takes years of training and practice. In large part it is a family trade, that is passed down from one generation to the next. I was in a large hatchery many years ago and there was three generations in there vent sexing. Each person could do hundreds per hour with 90+ percent accuracy.

 

[deerman]

Quote:
Yes it is a sex link cross , will only work with the first cross, just like some do with the color sexlink.

 

[deerman]

Quote:
Nice video , only thing they dont tell you is these are a sex link feature. Those were cornish X rock cross. Father has to be a fast feathering bird the mother a slow feather bird, thus a cross.

Someone post one sexing other chicks that way, not true. Reason hatchiers have people vent sexing, all non sexlink chicks.

 

[deerman]

Check this video on vent sexing,cant belive how fast they can sex them, note the cup for the poop. I would be lucky to do 10 an hour. They must get payed by the chick.........