2.5 week old RIR and barred rocks

[kjk66ss]

Actually, the Barred Rocks and Dominique are a kind of feather auto-sexing. The hatched chick has a head spot. The cockerels head spot is irregular, while the pullets have a small, round head spot. This is not sex link differentiating, but just using the natural, auto sexing feature the breed has. At five weeks of age, as the chicks feather out, we get yet another auto sexing opportunity to see the differences in the pullet vx the cockerel. As I said above, the difference is start and not difficult to see. I use the Barred Rock as an example because I have raised them for decades and am most familiar with them.

Really, really keen eyes are also able to see small differentiation between the sexes in the feather patterns in other breeds as well. The secondary sex characteristics come later, ie, pointed feathers, combs, wattles, saddle feathers, etc.

thanks fred's hens. i was reffering to chris09 last post about the production reds

 

[Fred's Hens]

thanks fred's hens. i was reffering to chris09 last post about the production reds

As I said, to the keen eye, sex by small features, can be very accurate. It takes lots and lots of experience with the RIR or Production Red, or similar. Chris09 has that experience with these birds that I just don't have. There are lots of breeds I can tell you in a glance, while most, I'd have no ability to sex whatsoever.

 

[kjk66ss]

ive noticed today a few of the reds, jumping around in a face off with a few of the other chicks that im sure are roos. will the pullets get into those little "play" fights as well as the males?