barred rock babies!

[stines4]

ok so i just had 24 babies hatch and i head that the one that have tail feathers growing quickly are females. is this correct? and woul that be ture with silkies too?

 

[BusyBlonde]

It's definitely true with the Barred Rocks. Can't help you with the Silkies, I've never had them.

Congratulations on your babies!

 

[stines4]

Quote:
thanks, in that case i have 11 hens and 13 roos

 

[ninabeast]

With Barred Rocks (or so I've read) the females have a smaller, less distinctive white spot on the top of the head. They also have black on the front of their legs.

 

[stines4]

Quote:
thanks

 

[mtnviewfarms]

Hi Stines4 - I am the lady in Ellijay who owns the 'parent's of your 24 BR babies and I'll share with you some of the sexing
indicators that we noticed with their 'parents' when they were tiny chicks. The females white dot on the head is usually
more defined on the female and is more diffuse on the males; the tail feathers on the females emerge faster than on the males;
the front of the legs of the females have some black on the yellow while the males just have yellow legs and very soon - as they
grow and begin to feather more - you'll notice that the females are darker and the males are lighter overall. At a few months of age
the young roos will start to show beginnings of comb and wattles - the females have the beginnings of a comb too but it is usually a lighter color and not so quickly defined. I'm no expert on sexing but just wanted to share things I noticed about your 'babies'
parents as they were maturing. We never noticed the knot on the side of the neck you describe in some of your chicks. I hope
it is just what another poster said about their crop just being full of food. Are you feeding them the 'starter crumbles'?

Elaine
Mountain View Farms
Ellijay, GA
http://www.realtimefarms.com/source/5128092/mountain-view-farms