Are laced varieties easier to sex?

[K0k0shka]

I’m new to fancy chicken colors. I’ve been reading about feather patterns and it seems like the laced patterns show only on the hens (partridge, single laced, double laced). Logically, this would make them easier to sex when young, but... the internet does not seem to agree. People are saying they’re still hard to sex when young. Is that true? Why? Do they start out all laced, then the boys lose the pattern later on? This seems like it would be so easy, I don’t understand why it’s not. And it’s hard to find good pictures with follow up to confirm the guesses.

I have chicks from 3 laced varieties, all 1 month old, and am getting curious. I have double silver laced barnevelders, silver laced orpingtons, and a partridge orpington. All of them are showing patterns unlike those of grown roosters of their kind, though not all are as clear as the grown hens’ either. For example, 3 out of the 4 barnevelders are laced along the outside of the feather, but the 4th one looks barred instead. Is that the female vs. male difference? I’m confused. Will post pictures if that would help, but I’m also just curious about what the general explanation is.

 

[Gray Farms]

Both sexes are laced. But males have solid wing bars that females do not.

 

[K0k0shka]

Both sexes are laced. But males have solid wing bars that females do not.

Wow! This is so confusing. So, both sexes are laced when young, or both sexes are laced when grown as well? The adult roosters look very different from the hens, in terms of feather patterns.

What do you mean by solid wing bars? On the feathers, bars like in barred rocks and such? Can you post some pictures so I can see, even if they’re from google images?

 

[Gray Farms]

Both sexes are laced when young and grown. Wing bars are a patch of solid "nonlaced" feathers on the upper wing.

 

[Gray Farms]

See how the upper wing feathers on the male aren't laced.

 

[K0k0shka]

View attachment 2151792
View attachment 2151793

See how the upper wing feathers on the male aren't laced.

I see, thanks. The images really help. Is this also true for double laced and partridge varieties? I have one partridge orpington and 4 double silver laced barnevelders, and the grown roosters of those don’t seem to have any lacing at all.

 

[Gray Farms]

Yes it's also true for partridge and double laced. If they are full grown and don't have lacing its likely due to poor genetics.

 

[Kasai]

At what age can you begin to tell the gender? Is it about the same as other orpingtons, or can they be sexed younger due to the lacing?

 

[Gray Farms]

Partridge, Wheaten, and Laced varieties can be sexed much younger than solid patterns.