Chick sexing project

[GoldBarRanch]

This is en excellent concept. I was thinking of the same thing yesterday as I was at the feed store, trying to sort through Internet pictures on my iPhone to affirm breed and gender of the chicks I was looking at. I bought a WC Black Polish and a Nankin.

I'm starting a chick-to-adult photo album for both of my new birds to contribute to the project.

we cant wait to see

 

[folgerrd]

Quote: I'll just have to find some good ones where they aren't trying to desperstely escape.

 

[LoveNewChicks]

Hey macbeth,

Thanks for the post. I think it would be worth having a section for hybrid photos, but regardless of how many photos this accumulates I think that sexing most hybrid chicks (autosexing combos aside!) is always going to be an uphill struggle! This is because the combination of genes from different breeds can have synergistic effects that won't always be possible to predict. This will particularly be the case for hybrids in the second generation and beyond. A first gen (F1) hybrid between two pure breeds should be relatively consistent genetically, because each of the parent breeds have relatively homogenous genetic makeups (if this isn't the case for the breed then it is unlikely to breed 'true'). However, the genetic input into the F2 generation from hybrid parents will be much less consistent, with the result that genotypes will be more variable, and the resulting phenotypes (the characteristics such as feather growth, colour, head-gear etc. that have a largely genetic basis) less predictable. Add to this the fact that many commercial hybrid cocks show minimal development of secondary sexual characteristics, and owners of mutts really are up against it when it comes to sexing their chicks.

That said, the easiest to sex of the 12 birds I've raised from chick, apart from our Welsummer and Cream Legbar, has been a hybrid. Snowball, our Buff Orp/White Leghorn cross, already had a prominent red comb at 3 weeks, and was chest-bumping birds twice his age even earlier. Now 7 weeks old, he gave his first strangled crow a few days ago (from a different room I thought something had fallen on him, he sounded so distressed). Particularly for hybrids of known parentage, I think photo illustrating when they can and can't be sexed would potentially be very useful. But I probably have to think of a cleverer way of organising them than I have set up for the pure breeds.

Thanks again and let me know when the gender of the chicks you are photographing becomes clear!

Mark

this is a (mostly) true strategy:

mom (golden-sex-link) dad(araucana)

male chicks looks like golden-sex-link hen female chicks looks like araucana


i belive it is true, if not please tell me!

the yellow one is a golden-sex-link roo brown one is a araucana pullet



this is the roo all grown up 8-ish months



hope it helps!

 

[Fuzzybird]

Can anyone tell me if my Sham, Silky here pictured is a hen or cockerel? 18 weeks old. Last I thought it was a hen now he is showing a big comb!

 

[Cierra]

Has there been any progress with this project?

 

[KimberleyMoran]

Hi

I want to buy some polish hens but I want some advice in which sex they are they are only 4 weeks so it's proving to be difficult.

http://m1288.photobucket.com/albumlist/Kimberley_Moran


Please copy and paste the link and comment on the photos much appreciated

 

[Basel]

Hi all,
I just wanted to add that I bought 5 silkie chicks last April from a feed store. I tried to pick them based on girl traits--standing low and not tall and brave at the front of the group, a round crest and not swept back, etc. Of the five, three were girls and two boys. Perhaps I beat the odds by one? I think a little over half boys is typical and average.
So unfortunately, it's hard to get right!!

I hence hatched some really really nice silkie eggs from a breeder who has show quality birds. One I knew from the first day was a boy. His demeanor was there right away. And one I knew was a girl right away. All the others I had no real guess and there are still four, now at four months old, that I have no idea about!!

 

[ChickenChatten]

This is a really cool idea! I take weekly pics of my chicks (who'll be a month on Saturday) and I"ll be sure to post their progress on here as soon as they're grown!

 

[nuzzymom1]

I also have a mutt, three white leghorns, and four ameraucanas...supposedly. I have pictures from three days old to now which is almost 7 weeks. I will post more later, but now I must prep for three new black austrolorp chicks...2 hens & a roo.

Butterball



Cookie



Fireball



Flapper



Flyer



Lightening



Snowball



Tigger

 

[lmharris]

We have just had our first chick hatch, but have another 9 eggs under hens. As an avid photographer I would be happy to contribute frequent pics. Do be aware that we have a variety of breeds some of which we haven't definitely identified. We have 11 hens and 2 roosters that are adults along with 6 Rhode Island Red adolecents and 4 bantams.