Can we create the ultimate, definitive guide to sexing various peeps?

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

I'm trying to figure out some breeds I'd like to work with and have been searching around for info. on sexing peeps and with which breeds it can be done, whether by markings, feather sexing, or anything else.

I feel confident enough in sexing Barred Rocks and Cuckoo Marans via the black leg strip, the size/shape of the white dot, and the general shade of black or gray.
(females have a black stripe down the front of the shank; smaller, more defined white dot on the head, and are generally darker in color).

I would love to know the details of the means by which any other breeds can be sexed as new baby peeps.

For example, is it true that RIR pullets tend to have the dark strip down their necks? I have not seen that substantiated yet in my reading.

Now, I have one other simple request...with all due respect to everybody's grandfathers...please, I really don't want to hear about things like dangling peeps by their heads or any other such Madame Cloe type stuff. I would really like to stick to cold, hard scientific facts.

Thanks!

ps, what exactly is so "impossible" about vent sexing? I don't want to go blindly squeezing on my peeps, but snake people have been vent sexing neonates themselves for a long time with generally the same 90% accuracy. Is that just too "apples-to-oranges"?

 

[CelticMoon1]

Quote:
I think one of the main reasons is that there are several shapes to both female and male organs, plus you have to learn the technique on how to do it so as not to hurt the chick... The trickiest part is probably the time - the experts do it in seconds, but when you're learning the trick it can take ages and you're still not sure LOL. Plus it's hardly worth the effort if you're just a backyard breeder...

 

[Uzuri]

I think this would be wonderful information to go on the breed pages for the breeds that have such characteristics!

I personally just wait until mine are older. But I'm lazy that way

 

[Joyryder]

Buff Orpingtons

The male has a very prominent dark spot on its head and the female does not.

 

[Joyryder]

Sexing Black Copper Marans

According to UC Davis Veterinary Care Program.
Physical Characteristics (4-6 weeks of age)
a. Comb – The cockerels comb is medium size and pinkish, the pullets is small and yellowish.

b. Legs – The cockerel’s legs are sturdy and long, the pullets are finer and shorter.

c. Tail – The cockerel’s tail is stumpy and curved, the pullets is longer and straight.

d. Back – The cockerel has a thin line of stub feathers down the center of his back, the pullet has more advanced feathering along the center of her back.

e. Side of neck, flank and crop – The feathering in the cockerel in these areas is poorly advanced, the pullets feathering in these areas is well advanced.

f. Wing bows – In the cockerel the wing bows are bare, in pullets the wing bows are covered with small feathers.

Notes from BYCers:
Cuckoo Marans can be sexed at hatch. Females are darker than the males. Also, they have a dot on their head ... the female's is smaller and more precise, while the male's is larger and not so crisp.

Before feathering out males will appear silvery and females appear black.
That cockerel tail feathers grow in slower than pullets. Something to do with being larger curved feathers? The same on the neck mantle.
The feet of the females will be a little darker than the males after the first week

 

[Joyryder]

Sexing Rhode Island Reds

Pullets usually have a black stipe or spot on their heads. Accuracy about 85% in total.
The stripe is more indicative with accuracy of 93%

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Well I guess I'm gonna start first with Black Sex Links, Red Sex Links and purebred Rhode Island Reds, so I'll see how accurate that spot/stripe thing is over time.

This seems a good, easy combination to start with and I already have some young Barred Rock, RIR, and White Leghorn pullets...just need a coupla RIR roosters.