Autosexing Bantams

[MatthewCG]

I'm completely new to chickens, although I've read voraciously over the last few weeks.

I very much like the idea of raising bantams from day old chicks, and am looking for an autosexing breed that will produce a reasonable number of eggs.

It seems that autosexing bantams are few and far between - the only breed I've identified so far is the bantam Bielefelder. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

BTW, I live in the UK so sexed chicks from mypetchicken.com aren't an option.

Thanks!

 

[phasianidae]

Perhaps you could find some OEGBs that are autosexing? Mine are.

 

[LilliansMamaw]

Ok I have to ask what is autosexing??

 

[phasianidae]

Quote:
With autosexing breeds, you can tell the sex of a chick at hatch, and they breed true. Sexlink chicks can also be sexed at hatch but they do not breed true.

 

[LilliansMamaw]

That would be awesome if you were able to do that with all of them

 

[gumbii]

i'm a huge believer in picking them up by the beak... if they kick and release from your grip, it's a roo... if it just hangs and chills... it's a pullet... i haven't been wrong since i started with the chickens...

 

[LilliansMamaw]

Quote:
I may have to try this.

 

[SunnyCalifornia]

I wouldn't call it auto sexing, but its interesting none the less....

I bred my black & white mottled Serama roo to my black & white laced Serama pullet, and I got three babies, one is mottled, and at 2.5 weeks old looks like it will be a roo like his dad, one is laced, and looks to be a pullet like her mom, and one is brown and extra miniature...??? LOL. That's Seramas for you! I'm sure there is a combination of genes in Serama that can be bred to be autosexing, but it may take a lot of work.


Before I forget....

Great to have you!!

 

[MatthewCG]

Thanks for the replies.

To clarify, autosexing breeds are (as described above) breeds that can be sexed as soon as they're hatched because there is a visual difference of the male and female chicks. Autosexing differs from sex linking because the difference is propagated through the chicks (i.e. the chicks of autosexing chicks will also be autosexing) whereas sex linkage only works for one generation.

I've done some more research since I posted my question and it seems that autosexing bantams are few and far between. Since all I really want to do avoid roosters, actually sex-linked chicks would be fine for my purposes - but again I'm not sure if I have many options for bantams...

Oddly, it seems that autosexing breeds (e.g. cream legbar) are very uncommon in the US and far more common (although still unusual) in Europe. Strange.

 

[bantiebabe1200]

Quote:
I've never heard of this. How do you pick them up by the beak? Do you grab thier upper mandibill or the whole beak? I would be very interested in trying this method, since you say it works so well.

Also, what age are the chicks when you use this method?

Editied to add to question.