Chick sexing project

[free range possum]

Hi All,

We have started a project to assemble collections of photos to help people trying to sex their chicks. What we are aiming for, for each breed included in this project, is a collection of photos showing chicks of both genders at as wide a variety of ages as possible, up to an age where differences between male and female are obvious. Such a resource will allow people to see at a glance how old their chicks should be before they have a go at discriminating males from females. For most breeds, it should be possible to use such a collection of photos to either confirm or dismiss previously suggested diagnostic features, and it may even be possible to identify new features to help pick out birds of one gender or the other.

The most valuable photos will be those that show the same chicks at a variety of different ages, ranging from before to after their gender is apparent from the photos. Moreover, these photos should clearly show those features that are most useful for discriminating the gender of the relevant breed. Such series of photos are not nearly as easy to find on the internet as one might think! If you already have such a series of photos that you'd be willing to share, that's great. If you don't, but are currently (or shortly to be) raising chicks, please consider taking regular photos of them as they grow older, until they are old enough that their gender is clear. If you have a run of more than one chick of a particular breed, such a series of photos could be particularly useful, but of course you should make sure that the identity of individual chicks can be tracked through the series. In many cases this will be possible due to individual markings of the chicks, but if the chicks are sufficiently similar it may be useful to mark them yourself in some way (e.g. by loosely tying coloured ribbon or thread around their legs), or by putting a spot of waterproof marker pen on their beak.

Anyone interested in contributing to this project should get in touch with me. Together with Rob (aka Nifty-Chicken) I have set up a very rudimentary prototype showing roughly what form the resource could take (for just a couple of breeds) here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=102688-sexing-different-breeds

I'm tinkering away with this, but Rob and I are hoping that soon this project will get to a point where it will be possible for contributors to add photos themselves. However, we're not quite there yet, and until then, it would be really helpful if you could make yourselves (and the breeds you are interested in) known to us (so we can contact you when the resource is ready) and start assembling series of photos of chicks of known age and (initially) unknown genders. Also, spread the word the more people contribute to this resource the more helpful it will be. The breeds that we cover will be determined by the breeds that people show an interest in, but basically any breed that can't be sexed straight after hatching would be suitable for inclusion.

Thanks in advance for your interest!

Mark

Look under my responses to silkies and buff orphs. I have pigeons and like silkies, long time breeders seem to have difficulty sexing. But, irregardless of wild or tame, duck or fowl..I have notices 2 things different between young birds. First, a male chick reacts usually be stretching it's neck up, while females tend to "duck down" like she would later in life to protect eggs/brood. Second, I noticed females tend to have inner tear ducts slightly exposed and a fold under the eye while males seem to have round eyes and a little bigger iris. I believe the eye fold and bigger ducts protect here eyes later in life as she reaches under in twigs/hay etc to move eggs or tend her brood. You can look at your known adult sexed birds to see this and get ideas how to spot even in day old chicks. Later, pullets get hackle and rump feathers sooner, even my muscovies..The first is a pic of pigeon eyes. I use the pigeons to also hatch quail. The second is a alsteirer hen and you definitely see the eye fold under eye (I have some of these and a barbezieux roo from Greenfire ,to create some really big nice sexlinks. Third is obvious a hen and roo from distance and clearly you can see eye shape diffetences. If you need any specific pics, I have even pelican pics, let me know. It has been very defining as to whom I keep, and I keep a breeder male only if he has a very round eye (more testosterone ) and strong neck stretch look up as he is supposed to be a alert flock guardian . I have a black silkie roo and round eyes are clear.

 

[PioneerChicks]

I'd love to help next time I get chicks! Is there a list somewhere that will tell me what breeds have and haven't been done?

 

[Ryooki]

Color of comb and waddles seems variable sometimes? I think this is a pullet, but I’m not sure. First picture looks like it could be a cockerel, but the second taken 1-2 min later doesn’t. Lol. This is a black cooper marans at 10 weeks old

 

[DolceVita]

Thoughts on my 5 week old Orpington

 

[FluffyButtTikiHut]

Color of comb and waddles seems variable sometimes? I think this is a pullet, but I’m not sure. First picture looks like it could be a cockerel, but the second taken 1-2 min later doesn’t. Lol. This is a black cooper marans at 10 weeks old

Hi! I think pullet, mine is the same age and looks just like yours. Roo would have more developed comb and wattles. I bought Lovvie sexed as new hatch.

 

[MistyandLuna]

Thoughts on my 5 week old Orpington

That looks like a pullet to me!

 

[MistyandLuna]

Any thoughts on these ones? Maybe I should get better pictures though.

 

[carlysutton5]

6 weeks old silkie x amercaunas . Any guesses ??

 

[Noores]

hen or rooster? I think it"s girl ) not breed , 2 week old this is the chicken we saved ,it was the weakest because my aunt's chicken crushed the eggs, the other chickens are fine and live with my aunt and this one is with us

 

[Noores]

Цвет гребня и ковыля иногда кажется переменным? Я думаю, что это молодка, но я не уверен. Первый снимок выглядит так, как будто это может быть петушок, но второй, сделанный через 1-2 минуты, этого не делает. This is a black cooper marans at 10 weeks old

I think that this is a pullet hen, at 10 weeks the cocks of small breeds are already singing